ALS and ALTS (experts committees of the German monitoring organisations) have adopted new assessment values for allergens and VITAL® (Voluntary Incidental Trace Allergen Labelling) 4.0 will move to the ED05 dose, recommended by the FAO/WHO
On 1 July 2024, the Australian New Zeeland Allergen Bureau published, that the forthcoming
Voluntary Incidental Trace Allergen Labelling 4.0’ (VITAL® 4.0) will move to the ED05 dose, recommended by the Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) and World Health Organisation (WHO). The FAO and the WHO defined the eliciting dose ED05 as sufficiently safe, at which a maximum of 5% of the allergic population could show a reaction.
The Australian Authority developed a standardised process for risk assessment of unintended allergen traces based on threshold values. This process, known as VITAL concept was published in 2007. It supports food manufacturers to manage allergens and thus also in deciding whether trace labelling is necessary.
In line with the recommendations of the FAO/WHO expert consultation for threshold levels for precautionary allergen labelling, the German ALS (working group of food chemistry experts of the Federal States and the Federal Office of Consumer Protection and Food Safety) and the ALTS (working group of experts in the field of food hygiene and food of animal origin) decided to publish updated threshold levels for the evaluation of analytical findings for undeclared allergens for official laboratories of food authorities at their 92nd workshop.
Let’s discuss VITAL 4.0, the ALTS/ALS updates and the recommendations of the FAO/WHO during the 8th International Conference Food Allergens, which will be taking place in Cologne/Germany on 3 and 4 December 2024. You will get first-hand information from well-known experts, e.g. the current president of the Allergen Bureau, @Jasmine Lacis-Lee.
You can find further information and the programme here.
Credits:
Allergen Bureau
Journal of Consumer Protection and Food Safety
Bundesamt für Verbraucherschutz und Lebensmittelsicherheit
Meeting Report: Risk Assessment of Food Allergens
Picture Credit: incomible – © istock
