Abstract
Abstract Food allergies are reproducible adverse reactions mediated by specific immunological mechanisms that occur in sensitive individuals after consumption of a certain food. It is recommended that the allergic person excludes from the diet the food that triggers the allergic reactions. In Brazil, the Collegiate Board Resolution no 26 of July 2, 2015, establishes the requirements for mandatory labeling of the main foods that cause food allergies, by implementing the use of alerts. The objective of this work was to verify if food labels in Brazil comply with this resolution. This is a cross-sectional descriptive study carried out at the Ezequiel Dias Foundation from July/2018 to September/2018. The compliance of food labels was investigated according to the requirements for mandatory labeling of the main foods that cause allergies, regulated by CBR 26/2015. The results showed that 12.13% of the analyzed foods did not contain the allergy alert. In addition, 31% of the samples used precautionary allergen labeling, due to possible cross-contamination by an allergenic food. People who have food allergies benefit from advances in food labeling. However, much still needs to be done to ensure that legislation is duly complied, in order to improve the quality of life of allergic people.
Highlights
Food allergies are reproducible adverse reactions mediated by specific immunological mechanisms that occur in sensitive individuals after consumption of a certain food (Brasil, 2015)
The food sample analyzes results demonstrate that despite the implementation of legislation regulating the labeling of allergenic foods, progress is still needed
Most of the samples were in accordance with the terms recommended by the legislation, grouped in the correct place, in legible and standardized letters according to the format stipulated by the resolution
Summary
Food allergies are reproducible adverse reactions mediated by specific immunological mechanisms that occur in sensitive individuals after consumption of a certain food (Brasil, 2015). They affect up to 10% of the population (Sicherer, 2011), being about 5% of adults and 8% of children with increasing evidence of increased prevalence (Gupta et al, 2011; Sicherer & Sampson, 2014). Some signs are: cardiac arrhythmia, pulmonary edema, low blood pressure, rapid pulse, mental confusion, angioedema in the throat that can cause blockage of the airways, lack of oxygen, pale skin and anaphylaxis, which is the most serious manifestation that can lead to death (Chafen et al 2010).Currently there are no effective treatments for food allergies, so to ensure the non-manifestation of signs and symptoms the allergic must avoid the intake of the substance that causes allergy (Sicherer & Sampson, 2014)
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