We make our product (frozen pops) in a commissary and are exploring retail opportunities. I'm seeing conflicting info on how to appropriately label for allergens in this setting.
All surfaces and equipment are sanitized before and after use but some of these are shared with other businesses working in the same kitchen.
Does this mean we have to include all common allergens (peanuts, tree nuts, wheat, seafood etc) in a 'may contain' statement just in case someone else in the facility is using any of these?
Hi Nuala,
Manufacturers are responsible for preventing allergen cross-contamination and must make every effort to avoid unintended contamination. While standard cleaning helps, it may not always be sufficient. I recommend reviewing the shared space and equipment for potential allergen exposure. If there's any doubt that the cleaning process fully removes allergens, it's best to include them in the "may contain" statement. Hope this helps!
Regards,
Charmaine
Hello, Yes, I am afraid so. If the allergen is in the kitchen you must declare it in a May contain statement.
Best Cathline.
By the way we have an allergen free facility, but we may be too small to help you at the moment. Depending on your production requirements.
Thanks, Charmaine! This is really helpful.
What are your thoughts on a phrase such as, "made in a facility that processes all major allergens", or similar.
Is it standard to list out every allergen or is something like this typically acceptable? I don't want to take any risks when it comes to allergens, but listing the top 12 would become quite lengthy.
Hi Nuala,
It would be best practice to name the specific allergen in the 'May contain' statements. You can refer to the link below for more information.
https://inspection.canada.ca/en/food-labels/labelling/industry/allergen-labelling