Challenges in allergen management

1. Presence of allergens at trace levels

- Allergens may appear in food due to cross-contamination during production, processing, storage or transport.

- Even in very small amounts, they can cause serious allergic reactions in sensitive people.

- It is very difficult to fully control these residue levels without strict hygiene, closed production processes and rigorous testing.

2. Lack of harmonised international standards

- Each country has a different list of allergens that must be declared. For example: the EU specifies 14 major allergens, while the US under the FDA has 9.

- This creates difficulties in labelling, international trade and multi-market product management

3. Challenges in accurate labelling

- Incomplete or inaccurate labelling information can put consumers at risk.

- Some companies use a "may contain..." note to avoid liability, but this loses consumer trust and makes it difficult to choose safe food.

- No gluten, lactose, egg or nut: Food "“free from” is an increasing trend, leading to an increase in the product range. However, more non-allergenic products also means more products that must be tested before being released to the market.

4. Allergen testing is complex and costly

- Analytical methods such as ELISA, PCR or rapid tests require equipment, specialised personnel and significant costs.

- Not every company has the resources to apply them routinely, especially small and medium-sized enterprises.

5. Uneven staff awareness and training

- Staff in production, processing and line operations, if they lack knowledge of allergen control, may inadvertently cause cross-contamination.

- Regular training programmes and standardised procedures across the whole production chain are needed.

6. Changes in input raw materials

- The composition of raw materials can change according to season, supplier, country of import... which makes allergen control heavily dependent on the transparency of the supply chain.

- Without a clear traceability system, allergens can "hide" in auxiliary materials or spices.

7. Pressure from the market and consumers

- The “clean label” and “allergen-free food” trends put pressure on businesses to both ensure safety and meet marketing requirements.

- This easily leads to inaccurate claims or misunderstanding of the term "allergen-free".

✅ Suggested solutions

- Build a comprehensive allergen management system in the company according to HACCP or ISO 22000 standards.

- Use rapid and quantitative test kits such as ELISA tests, PCR tests, lateral flow rapid tests to verify the presence of allergens.

- Regular staff training and the establishment of SOPs (standard operating procedures) to control cross-contamination.

- Work closely with raw material suppliers: request traceability documents and allergen-free certification.