FDA Warns Nation’s Largest Bakery to Stop Listing Allergens in Products When They’re Not There

The US Food and Drug Administration has sent a warning letter to one of America’s largest bakeries, asking it to stop claiming that allergens such as sesame or tree nuts are present in its products when in fact they are not present there.

In a statement released Tuesday, the FDA said 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, tree nuts, almonds and hazelnuts in its “Contains” ingredient list – even though “these 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 PAM Whole Grain, 12 Grains & Seeds bread product listed all three types of nuts as ingredients, even though they were not actually present. And Sara Lee brand Artesano Brioche, Delightful Multigrain, Artesano Golden Wheat and Artesano Smooth Multigrain all listed sesame as an ingredient, even though no sesame was present.

Why would companies like Bimbo publish inaccurate ingredient lists?

The FDA requires food manufacturers to list all potential allergens on package ingredient lists.

However, properly separating known allergens, such as nuts or sesame, in one part of a baking plant from other areas can be a tedious and expensive task. Some companies therefore circumvent regulations by claiming that allergens are present in most or all of their products, in order to avoid liability and reduce costs in their factories.

The FDA, along with food allergy advocacy groups, say the practice is misleading and unfair to consumers.

Speaking to the Associated Press, the nonprofit group Food Allergy Research & Education (FARE) called the labeling practice a “disservice” to the estimated 33 million Americans with food allergies.

“Our community relies on accurate product labeling for its health and safety,” Sung Poblete, FARE’s executive director, told the AP. “These findings about Bimbo Bakeries products undermine their confidence and further limit their choices.”

In its statement, the FDA agreed.

“People with food allergies need to be able to use accurate labeling to feel confident in their food choices,” the agency said, and claiming an allergen is present when it is not “can lead to fewer choices for consumers with food allergies.”

Instead of claiming that an allergen is present in a product when it is not, the FDA prefers that manufacturers “follow good manufacturing practices (GMP) and implement appropriate preventive controls to avoid the cross-contact with allergens” within their factories, the agency said.

The FDA added that it asked Bimbo “to respond within 15 days of receipt of the warning letter, stating the specific actions it has taken to remedy any violations and prevent the recurrence of violations or providing its reasoning and supporting information as to why the company believes it is not violating the law. »

Mexico City-based Bimbo told the AP that company officials “take very seriously their role in protecting consumers with allergen sensitivities” and are in communication with the FDA to resolve the issue.

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