The International Deli-Dairy-Bakery Association (IDDBA) has announced that its year-long 2016 Safe Food Matters! campaign will focus on food allergens.
According to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, millions of American suffer from allergic reactions to food each year. While there is no cure for food allergies, there is much that the food industry can do to help identify and label food allergens and ultimately help consumers to steer clear of food products that may cause adverse reactions.
IDDBA plans to provide the industry – Including food manufacturers, retailers and employees–with best practices and training with hopes of decreasing the likelihood of food allergen occurrences and cross-contact in the products they sell to consumers.
This year’s campaign will include new food allergen awareness training, a pending research report, food safety certification reimbursement for food retailers, and a heavy focus on allergens at IDDBA’s workshops this June in Houston, TX.
In the meantime, IDDBA’s website houses a series of helpful tools – referred to as Featured Job Guides–for the deli, dairy and bakery industries to take advantage of:
- Understanding Fresh Food Allergens
- Food Allergens in the Bakery
- Food Allergens in the Deli
The organization offers free white papers as well:
- Food Allergy: An Overview
- Components of an Effective Allergen Control Plan
This is the second consecutive year of IDDBA’s Safe Food Matters! campaign. Last year’s inaugural campaign focused on Listeria.
