United States: In a recent challenge to the FDA, the large US bakery has been asked to stop mislabeling its products with sesame, a known allergy trigger, when it is absent.
Details of the Situation
Bimbo Bakeries USA, known for brands like Sara Lee, Entenmann’s, and Ball Park, is disregarding an FDA warning from June that flagged several of its products as ‘misbranded’ due to the misleading sesame and tree nut labels.
In their response, Bimbo officials stated they would not change their sesame labeling practices. They explained that their production plants create both sesame-containing and non-sesame products, leading to their decision to label all items consistently to prevent potential allergic reactions.
In a July 1 letter shared with the Center for Science, the company claimed, “We believe our approach is the most protective of sesame-allergic consumers,” according to AP News.
Further Statements from Officials
Bimbo representatives reiterated this stance in an email, describing their labeling strategy as a “conservative approach” for consistent branding across nationally distributed products.
The FDA has yet to comment publicly, indicating they will handle the matter directly with the company. The agency retains the authority to initiate legal actions, including product recalls and penalties against companies that ignore their warnings.
Food safety advocates, including CSPI, express concerns over the ongoing standoff, highlighting confusion for over 33 million consumers with food allergies and limited options for more than 1.6 million individuals with sesame allergies.
Sung Poblete, CEO of the nonprofit group FARE (Food Allergy Research & Education), emphasized the necessity of precise food labeling for consumer safety, stating, “We depend on accurate labeling to make informed food choices.”
This conflict arises from a 2023 federal law mandating that any food sold in the US must be labeled if it contains sesame.