Sesame Became the Ninth Major Food Allergen in the U.S.

For years, U.S. law named eight major food allergens: milk, eggs, fish, crustacean shellfish, tree nuts, peanuts, wheat and soybeans. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration explains that the list grew in 2021. On April 23, 2021, the Food Allergy Safety, Treatment, Education, and Research Act, known as the FASTER Act, was signed into law, declaring sesame the ninth major food allergen recognized by the United States. The change took effect on January 1, 2023. From that date, according to the FDA, all requirements that apply to major food allergens, including labeling and manufacturing rules, apply to sesame as well. There was a transition. Products already in stores before that date did not have to be removed or relabeled, so the FDA warned that some products might not carry sesame labeling right away.