US FDA Guidance Scratches Sesame Labeling Itch; House Passes ‘FASTER’ Allergen Identity Process

Food Allergy Safety, Treatment, Education, and Research Act would amend FDA regulations to include sesame as major allergen and allow agency to add other food ingredients as major allergens based on prevalence and severity of allergic reactions. FDA, meanwhile, published guidance for voluntarily labeling sesame as an allergen while it develop its factors for evaluating which food allergens in addition to the eight already specified in its regulations should be designated as requiring additional controls, including allergen labeling.