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New research reveals that people have become more sensitive to allergens over the last 25 years. According to information on WebMD.com, commonly triggered allergies have been increasing since the mid-1970s. Allergies and asthma are also on the rise in many developing countries that have not seen similar increases in the past. FoxNews.com reports the biggest increases were seen in heavily populated regions that are becoming more industrialized, such as India and Asia Pacific. Thus, there is increasing pressure for clearer labeling of both the use of allergenic ingredients and identification of possible cross-contamination with allergens.

According to http://www.foodnavigator.com/, the European Union now requires pre-packed foods to list all ingredients on the label, even if they are part of a compound ingredient or present in just tiny amounts. Pre-packed foods must also show clearly on the label if the product contains any of the following 12 listed allergenic foods at levels above 10 mg per kg or per liter: 

• peanuts;
• nuts such as almonds, hazelnuts, walnuts, Brazil nuts, cashews, pecans, pistachios, and macadamia nuts;
• eggs;
• milk;
• crustaceans including prawns, crabs, and lobsters;
• fish;
• sesame seeds;
• cereals containing gluten including wheat, rye, barley, and oats;
• soya;
• celery;
• mustard;
• and sulfur dioxide and sulfites (preservatives used in some foods and drinks.

The U.K.'s Food Standards Agency (FSA) has developed a document outlining voluntary best practice advice to food producers and retailers on how to assess the risks of cross-contamination of a food product with an allergenic food or food ingredient and then to determine whether advisory labeling is appropriate. It can be found at http://www.food.gov.uk/foodindustry/guidancenotes/labelregsguidance/alergyguidance.

The European Union will be reviewing its entire food labeling system through 2008. For more information, visit http://www.fas.usda.gov.