01/08/2025
U.S. Food & Drug Administration
Final Guidance for Industry: Questions and Answers Regarding Food Allergens, Including the Food Allergen Labeling Requirements of the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act (Edition 5). There are several changes outlined in the final guidance.
The list of tree nuts which the FDA considers to be major tree nut allergens has been revised to now focus on 9 tree nuts – almond, Brazil nut, cashew, filbert/hazelnut, macadamia nut/bush nut, pecan, pine nut/pinon nut, pistachio, and walnut (black, California, Heartnut/Japanese, English/Persian) – See Table 1 on page 15 of the guidance document – Section C.7.
The draft version of the guidance had also contained beach nut, butternut, chestnut, chinquapin, coconut, cola/kola nut, ginkgo nut, hickory nut, palm nut, pili nut, and sheanut/shea nut which are now REMOVED from the list of major tree nut allergens.
While coconuts and other tree nuts are no longer considered major food allergens, it may take some time to see labels updated.
Read the breakdown from and access the full FDA Guidance at:
https://www.foodallergyawareness.org/product-notices-blog/