Natural Flavoring - Is it safe for my child?
Parents of milk allergic children are often concerned about the ingredients of natural flavoring. The manufacturing of natural flavoring can include dairy ingredients. The legal definition of natural flavorings, as employed by the FDA, states that they can include “dairy products, whose significant function in food is flavoring rather than nutritional”. Parents then need to read the label to determine if dairy ingredients have been used. Luckily, this is where the Food Labeling Act of 2006 comes in.
The Food Allergen Labeling and Consumer Protection Act (FALCPA) food manufacturers to disclose in plain language whether products contain any of the top eight food allergens. This law, which took effect on January 1, 2006, mandates that the labels of foods containing milk, eggs, fish, crustacean shellfish, peanuts, tree nuts, wheat, and soy declare the allergen in plain language on the ingredient list.
The bottom line is that natural flavoring can contain dairy, but if it does this must be listed on the ingredients list of the products. Using this information, along with the kosher labeling on the front of the package, can be a good indicator that the food is dairy-free.
