Our 8-page catalog of snacks free of peanuts, tree nuts and eggs to keep these allergens away from home and school...
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Posts by: Dave
We are pleased to announce a number of new additions to the Safe Snack Guide.
New Category
We have added a new category entitled ‘Frozen Entrees / Appetizers / Sides / Desserts‘ which will provide many new options to busy families that must also cope with food allergies.
A study presented at the 2014 Annual Meeting of the American Academy of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology (AAAAI), asserts that individuals who have outgrown a food allergy may be at risk of developing eosinophilic esophagitis (EoE) to the same food.
“EoE is characterized by the presence of large numbers of white blood cells called eosinophils in the tissue of the esophagus, which causes inflammation or swelling of the esophagus,” said Jonathan M. Spergel, MD, PhD, FAAAAI, one of the study authors. “Foods like dairy products, egg, soy and wheat are main causes of EoE.”
SnackSafely.com’s Manufacturer Partnership Program was highlighted in an article by Food Navigator-USA, a publication that caters to decision makers in food and beverage development in North America. The article, entitled “SnackSafely.com closing the allergen contamination knowledge gap” details our program to partner directly with manufacturers to have them disclose information regarding the processing of 11 allergens during the manufacture of their products.
As of this writing, over 21 manufacturers have joined the program with more to be announced later this week. Joining the program is free to manufacturers, who agree to provide manufacturing data via our proprietary portal. In return, all their qualifying products earn a listing in the Safe Snack Guide, our list of snacks free of peanuts, tree nuts and eggs relied upon by thousands of schools and tens of thousands of parents nationwide.
An advocacy dedicated to improving the safety and quality of life of Californians living with severe food allergies has launched.
California Advocates for Food Allergies (CAFA) was founded by a team of advocates and activists well known to the on-line community concerned with anaphylaxis. The executive board members are:
Please note that we are removing the listings for products from three ice cream manufacturers from the Safe Snack Guide:
- Breyers – removed due to changes in manufacture/labeling/disclosure.
Unilever, manufacturers of Breyers brand, employ the following process during a run:
- Plain flavors, such as vanilla and chocolate, are made in the first batches;
- Nuts and other add-ins are added to the same equipment in later batches;
- All equipment is washed down between runs, and the process repeats.
As the firm employs no testing between runs to ensure that allergen residue has been removed, we are removing it from the Guide.
A year and a half ago, Jack Irvine, a 15 year old with a severe tree nut allergy attending a go-karting camp in Melbourne, Australia, bit into an unwrapped cookie containing macadamia nuts. He died six days later due to complications of anaphylaxis.
During inquest proceedings currently underway, it was disclosed that the family filed standard forms notifying the camp administration of the boy’s allergies. Due to a staff shortage the day of the incident, the camp ordered lunch from a sandwich chain which presumably supplied the cookies.
Fiona Ellis, the counsel for the Victorian Karting Association, issued a formal apology to the family. “The Victorian Karting Association expresses its condolences to the family and friends of Jack Irvine,” Ellis told the Victorian Coroners Court.
Ellis went on to explain that the camp’s administrators did not have proper processes in place for dealing with allergic reactions or adequate first aid plans.
As we approach the season when families traditionally enroll their children for summer camp activities, we at SnackSafely.com would like to highlight some of the special considerations arising from this tragedy:
Manufacturers Join SnackSafely.com in Drive for Greater Transparency in Food Allergen Disclosures
Tootsie Roll Industries, Enjoy Life Foods among 20 manufacturers to join program’s launch
New York, NY (PRWEB) February 11, 2014
The publisher of the Safe Snack Guide, a snack list used by thousands of schools, camps, youth sports leagues, and scouting groups nationwide to help implement nut-free policies, is now working directly with food manufacturers to provide greater transparency regarding the potential for allergens in their products.
Manufacturers participating in the SnackSafely.com program access a proprietary portal to submit information about their products, including processing information for 11 allergens: peanuts, tree nuts, eggs, milk, soy, wheat, fish and shellfish (the “top 8”) as well as sesame, mustard, and gluten.
Please note that we have updated the contents of the Safe Snack Guide.
We’re pleased to announce that we have added many products by three companies that have joined our SnackSafely.com Manufacturer Partnership Program:
Continue reading »
Chantel Giacalone, a 27 year old actress and model with a severe peanut allergy from West Bloomfield, MI, was visiting a friend in Las Vegas a year ago. On February 20, 2013, she unknowingly bit into a pretzel that contained peanut butter and suffered full-blown anaphylaxis.
“She went into cardiac arrest twice – four and a half minutes both times,” said Maria Lamia, Chantel’s aunt.
Chantel was placed on life support in a hospital in Las Vegas. Thousands of dollars were raised to have her airlifted to a hospital in Michigan, where she was finally released in November.
Ready for the Big Game? Just a quick reminder that it’s easy to accommodate your guests with special dietary considerations even if they root for the opposing team! The Safe Snack Guide has hundreds of ideas ranging from everyday pretzels and potato chips to all-natural, organic, non-GMO options… all peanut and tree nut-free, most egg-free!
And don’t forget to check the Coupons Page for money saving opportunities!
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