In the UK, around 2.4 million people are living with a diagnosed food allergy, and 600,000 with Coeliac Disease. The Food Hypersensitivity Area of Research Interest (ARI) aims to improve the quality of life for people living with food hypersensitivities and support them to make safe and informed choices to effectively manage risk. The ARI includes several key themes of work:
The major aims of this ARI include:
The work of this ARI helps inform policy so that food businesses can implement best practice in terms allergen information provision and practices in their kitchens, and to help food hypersensitive consumers make safe and informed choices when shopping and eating out of the home.
In December 2023, the Food Standards Agency commissioned Ipsos UK to conduct an online survey with individuals who have or buy for those with food hypersensitivities (FHS) to allergens of animal origin to explore their use and understanding of vegan labelling as a proxy for allergen labelling.
This study aimed to develop a better understanding of the practices and behaviours of people with food hypersensitivities when buying food online, and to use accredited methods to determine the presence of certain allergens in selected samples of food procured by participants.
Food allergies affects between 1-2% of the UK population, with some allergens responsible for hospital admissions with anaphylaxis. Food businesses have a legal responsibility to provide food that is safe, which means declaring allergens present as ingredients and warning consumers about their potential unintended presence due to cross-contact. A system needs to be implemented for testing allergens in foods, responding to incidents, and manage risks to protect consumers. This report explores the current state of the art of allergen testing methodologies and the remaining challenges.
This study was conducted to review international literature and guidance documents about cleaning methods to remove food allergens from surfaces to support the FSA’s work on Precautionary Allergen Labelling (PAL).
The project successfully produced and characterised the first multi-allergen reference material kit containing five common allergens.
The focus of this research was to understand in more detail how micro and small businesses (SMEs) in the non-prepacked sector provide allergen information to consumers, and the impact of some of the potential changes to the provision of allergen information requirements for SMEs across a variety of service models.
Our rapid evidence assessment aimed to develop an understanding of the international provision of allergen information in the non-prepacked food sector to develop recommendations for the FSA to inform future policy and regulation decisions based on evidence of ‘what works’.
An evaluation of the implementation and effect of the updated prepacked for direct sale (PPDS) allergen labelling requirements.
A randomised controlled trial conducted in partnership with a national Food Business Organisation.
Research conducted to produce data to assist the food industry and regulatory authorities develop risk-based approaches to food allergen management.
This project explores the impacts of food hypersensitivity on people’s quality of life and the monetary value people assign to the removal of those impacts. In this project, food hypersensitivities (FHS) are defined as comprising food allergy, coeliac disease and food intolerance.
The aim of this survey was to characterise the management of FH of individuals living in the UK and evaluate the resultant impact on their Quality of life.
The aim of the study was to quantify and monetise the financial burden imposed on households with FHS through the day-to-day management of the physical risks associated with food allergies, food intolerance and coeliac disease.
The FSA aims to understand if and how people use food labels to make consumer choices.
This research was commissioned by the FSA in order to understand the allergen information needs and preferences of people with food hypersensitivity (FHS) when eating in the non-prepacked food sector (also referred to the ‘out of home’ sector).
This research explored experiences, interpretations, and views of PAL (Precautionary Allergen Labelling) with businesses and consumers with food hypersensitivities in order to understand and improve how it is applied in future. Qualitative research was also conducted with coeliac consumers on experiences, interpretations, and views of NCGI (non-gluten containing ingredients) notices. This research was carried out in tandem with wider research on PAL notices, but has been reported separately given the different information provided by PAL and NCGI.
This research aimed to understand the extent to which allergen risk analysis is conducted by micro, small, and medium sized (SME) food businesses, and whether this informs the use of Precautionary Allergen Labelling (PAL). It had a specific focus on whether risk assessment and the identification critical points of allergen cross-contact were undertaken.
Risk question: What is the risk in terms of allergy to UK consumers if sunflower oil is substituted in food with certain vegetable oils (palm oil, palm olein, palm kernel oil, fully refined soyabean oil, cottonseed oil, coconut oil, corn/maize oil and olive oil) without these oils being labelled on the packaging?
Risk question: What is the risk in terms of allergy to UK consumers if sunflower oil is substituted in food with certain fully refined food grade vegetable oils (i.e. palm oil, soybean oil or coconut oil) without these oils being labelled on the packaging?
Risk question: What is the risk in terms of allergy to UK consumers if sunflower oil is substituted in food with refined rapeseed oil without rapeseed being labelled on the packaging?
This report presents the findings from a survey commissioned by the Food Standards Agency (FSA) and delivered by Aston University to explore how people living with food hypersensitivities (FHS) such as allergy, intolerance and coeliac disease, are affected by these conditions in their daily lives.
This study explored the current provision of information on allergenic ingredients by food businesses to consumers for non-prepacked food, and how this has changed since legislative changes came into force in 2014. The study also provides a new baseline on information provided for food prepacked for direct sale (PPDS).
The Food Standards Agency, in collaboration with Kantar’s Behavioural Practice, conducted an in-business feasibility trial in 2020 to measure the effects of proactive allergen communications.
A literature review of consumer response to allergen declarations and precautionary allergen labelling