Gluten and Allergen-Contamination Causing Surge in Food Recalls as Popularity Rises

Celiac.com 01/31/2019 - The popularity of gluten-free and allergen-free foods is on the rise, and that’s generally good news. In theory, that’s good news, as it means more products, better selection and lower prices. However, it seems that the proliferation of gluten- and allergen-free products also means higher rates of allergen contamination.

We’ve written about the upswing in gluten contamination in foods labeled gluten-free, but it appears as though the problem of allergen contamination in products labeled allergen-free is neither restricted to America, nor restricted to gluten.

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The latest information coming out of New Zealand shows that food recalls due to allergens have quadrupled over the past five years, with the Ministry for Primary Industries (MPI) leading 144 investigations in that period. Meanwhile, official food recall investigations climbed to 28 in 2018, compared with just six in 2013.

The new information and numbers show that more vigilance is needed on the part of manufacturers, grocers, consumers, and public health officials.

Interestingly, wine received the most complaints, with reports of milk, egg, royal jelly and sulfites contamination.

Recalls due to food allergens have affected numerous businesses. For example,  in 2017, gluten-contaminated buckwheat flour triggered a recall by 27 stores, which pulled the product from their shelves. 

Do you know of any food recalls we may have missed? Share your thoughts below.

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