In the Food Matters Live podcast Dutch Spices explains how butchers can win customers and remain profitable.
Allergen control in the production process
The text: ‘may contain traces of…’, or something similar, appears regularly on product labels even though in many cases this warning to people with a food allergy, such as nuts or milk protein, is unnecessary: The products on which this is stated do not always contain ‘traces’ of either nuts or milk protein. If you have an allergy this can be confusing. What exactly does such an allergen warning mean and what should you take into account?
Cross-contamination
If it is certain that a product contains an allergen, nuts for example, this is stated (explicitly) in the list of ingredients on the product label. But it is also possible that a product includes some ‘extra’ ingredients due to cross-contamination. Cross- contamination means that products containing different ingredients come in contact with each other and an ingredient from one product may unintentionally end up in another product. Because producers do not want to take any risks and want to avoid claims for damages, it is becoming increasingly common for product labels to state that the product may contain ‘traces’ of certain allergenic ingredients.
New legislation
The unnecessary mentioning of possible cross-contamination makes it more difficult for the consumer, which is why new legislation related to cross-contamination labelling, is being introduced. Food produces have been given until 1 January 2026 to adjust their labels so the information on them is correct. This should reduce unnecessary warnings on labels. But the new legislation can also prevent necessary warnings being missed in the future. It remains the case that four percent of people with a food allergy end up in the emergency department as a result of an allergic reaction. The new legislation will make selecting and eating food products easier and safer for the half a million people in the Netherlands with a food allergy.
A progressive food producer
Although the new legislation will not go into force until 2026, there are some producers that are already extremely careful when it comes to handling allergen warnings and allergenic ingredients. One progressive supplier that can guarantee its products are allergen safe is seasonings producer Dutch Spices. Dutch Spices only offers products for which the cross-contamination figure is lower than the VITAL threshold level - the maximum amount of an allergenic food that can be tolerated by a person with a specific food-allergy. As a result, Dutch Spices’ products can be used safely by all consumers with a food allergy.
Dutch Spices
Dutch Spices’ products are not only allergen-safe, they are also gluten and lactose free and they are both vegan and halal certificated. This is how Dutch Spices makes it possible for everyone to enjoy tasty food. At Dutch Spices we call this ‘Freedom of taste’. Dutch Spices offers a wide and versatile range of seasonings including basis herb and spice mixes, marinades, sauces and dressings. Our products can be found on the shelves of butchers, fishmongers and greengrocers, and also in food processing companies that use our seasonings in products that are then sold in supermarkets. In a nutshell, Dutch Spices offers a rich range that fits in many different dietary patterns.
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