I know that, to those who have food allergies, proper labeling information is critical. Still, this recall notice by Kroger amused me:
The Kroger Co. is recalling packages of Kroger Hulless Corn Puff Poppers — Extreme Butter (artificially flavored) because the product may contain milk not listed on the label.
As it happens, I really love the artificially butter flavored corn puff food products. Still, it can’t be good for a person, and there’s some irony that the reason for a recall is a relatively healthy ingredient like milk. (Here is where my sister, if she read my blog, would go on at length about serious concerns raised by our current dairy practices.)
I imagine they have to list milk because some people are allergic to dairy, and not just lactose intolerant. You might also get some angry vegans. The right to know what we’re eating is important, be it healthy or not. Too bad they have to label when it has milk, but not when it’s a GMO!
Anyone using this stuff for anything besides packing peanuts should just have to take their chances…
It’s not like it’s food, after all.
It seems silly, but milk is a major allergen (along with eggs, soy, wheat, tree nuts, peanuts, fish, and shellfish). Therefore foods containing those products and foods that have been in contact with those products must provide that information on the Nutrition Facts label. This requirement went into effect at the same time as the trans fat requirement–January 2006. This type of recall (for mislabeling) happens all the time, and occurred even before the allergen labeling requirement was in place. Often, the recalls are for products with limited distribution, so you are probably not aware of most of them.
I know people who have children with multiple allergies, so this labeling requirement is helpful. The major allergens are often hidden in products where you wouldn’t expect them to be present. Also, fancy names may not make it clear to the average consumer that an ingredient is derived from milk, soy, etc. The “new” labeling regulation requires that the product clearly state in plain language which of the “Big 8” allergens is in the food product.
Ecclecticvibe,
Why would they need to label something as a GMO? I still don’t get the scare with that.
Everything we eat is a GMO. I don’t get why some make a distinction between plants that are cross-bred at the cellular or graft level.
The threats are more from things like growth hormones, antibiotics, and whatever-cides that we add to our food.
There is a big difference between making a hybrid (crossing one tomato with another) and genetically modifying foods by say, adding a fish gene to a tomato. But anyway, I thought we were discussing allergens. :?