With Sesame becoming the 9th Major Allergen, here are ten things you should know about the changes being made.
Sesame is the fastest growing allergy in the United States, affecting 1.5 million people. It’s common
among children and can cause severe reactions. Sesame allergic people have had to work particularly
hard to avoid their allergen because it could be hidden in “natural flavorings” or “herbs and spices” on
food labels. Effective January 1 st 2023, the FASTER act added sesame as the 9 th major allergen, and
mandated that sesame be labeled in the same way as other allergens.
Common products and cuisines that contain sesame include:
- Middle Eastern foods including hummus, tahini, and halvah (sesame candy)
- Chinese foods including marinades, stir-fry sauces, salad dressings, and sesame brittle candy. (Sesame noodles, and sesame chicken are examples. Sesame oil and seeds are very common ingredients.)
- Japanese cuisine contains many sesame flavors, from sesame oil in sushi rice, to seasonings called “goma” made from white, black, or golden sesame seeds. Looks for sesame in dressings and desserts as well. Furikake is a common Japanese seasoning including seaweed, fish, and sesame seeds.
- Many other cuisines, such as Indian food, Greek food, Puerto Rican food, and others depend on sesame flavors in sweet and savory dishes.
Other names for sesame include benne, gingilly, and til. Just as with the other major allergens,
the plain word “sesame” must now be included on the label so that it stands out from other ingredients.
Take a look when you’re in the market, and see which of your foods have contained sesame all along.
Other names for sesame include benne, gingilly, and til. Just as with the other major allergens,
the plain word “sesame” must now be included on the label so that it stands out from other ingredients.
Take a look when you’re in the market, and see which of your foods have contained sesame all along.
Other names for sesame include benne, gingilly, and til. Just as with the other major allergens,
the plain word “sesame” must now be included on the label so that it stands out from other ingredients.
Take a look when you’re in the market, and see which of your foods have contained sesame all along.
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About MenuTrinfo®:
MenuTrinfo® is a company dedicated to ensuring safe food service by providing allergen and nutritional information, as well as programs such as Certified Free From™, AllerTrain® and a wide variety of services for colleges, universities, manufacturers of consumer-packaged goods, and more. We excel in employee food allergy training and certification, as well as food safety guidance and menu consulting. MenuTrinfo® has become a trusted partner for food service partners and manufacturers across the United States, and the company’s mission is to protect lives and make dining experiences as safe as possible for those with allergy restrictions.
