Food labels sometimes wrong, cause allergic reaction

The Food and Drug Administration and manufacturers have issued 20 recalls in the last 60 days for undeclared allergens in food products, including Chicken of the Sea tuna, which had undeclared soy; two kinds of Wegmans brownie mix with undeclared milk; and two kinds of ice cream with undeclared pecans, according to FDA records. An ABC News analysis found more than 400 recalls for undeclared allergens in food reported to the FDA since March 2009. Repeat brand recalls were often from grocery stores, such as Kroger, Publix, Whole Foods Market and Wegmans. Dr. Scott Sicherer, a professor and researcher at the Jaffe Food Allergy Institute at Mount Sinai Hospital in New York, says, "Companies can always make a mistake and have recalls if a product is found to have a mislabeled an ingredient in it. Unless someone gets sick from it, they wouldn't know it was there." Nicholas Vanech, who went into anaphylactic shock from a severe allergic reaction after eating M&M's made in the same facility as tree nuts, says "I think the best advice I can give to younger children with food allergies is to not to be afraid to speak up about your allergies," he wrote. "Don't be embarrassed; you haven't done anything wrong and, yes, it is OK to tell a friend or a waiter/waitress more than once if they don't seem to 'get it.'"

Yahoo! News, 12/6/2012