The FDA has issued a warning letter to one of the nation's biggest bakeries, asking that it stop including allergens such as nuts or sesame in ingredient lists when they are not actually being used The practice is a cost-saving workaround for companies, because keeping allergens out of all products in a large plant is doable, but expensive Advocates for people with allergies say the practice undermines faith in standard ingredients lists and also limits the grocery choices available to these consumers FRIDAY, June 28, 2024 (HealthDay News) -- The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has sent a to one of America's biggest bakeries, asking the company to stop claiming there are allergens such as sesame or nuts in products when in fact they are not there.
In a statement released Tuesday, the FDA said that Bimbo Bakeries, which includes brands such as Sara Lee, Oroweat, Thomas’, Entenmann’s and Ball Park buns and rolls, has included known allergens such as sesame, walnuts, almonds and hazelnuts in their 'Contains' ingredients list -- even though "those ingredients were not included in the product formulations," as determined by FDA inspections conducted in late 2023. For example, Bimbo products such as Brownberry brand Whole Grains 12 Grains and Seeds RTE bread loaf product listed the three types of nuts as ingredients, even though they were not actually there. And Sara Lee brand Artesano Brioche, Delightful Multigrain, Artesano Golden Wheat and Artesano Smooth Multigrain all li.
