FDA Requires Food Manufacturers to Clearly List Sesame as an Ingredient

By Yehudit Garmaise

“Hold the hummus,” say the 1.6 million Americans with a life-threatening allergy to sesame, which is rarely clearly labeled on the many products containing the tiny seeds.

In what advocates call “a major victory,” on Jan. 1, the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) added sesame to its major food allergen list, which means that the many foods that contain sesame now must be clearly labeled.

“For years, [anyone] with a life-threatening sesame allergy would have to look at the back of the label, call the manufacturer, and try to figure it out,” said Jason Linde, senior vice president of government and community affairs at Food Allergy Research & Education, which advocated for a new law that regulates foods that contain major allergens. 

“If [sesame] were included, it was just included as a natural spice or flavor,” said Linde, who called the new law, “a huge victory for the food allergy community.”

Even tahini, which is primarily made of ground sesame, previously was not required to list the tiny seeds on its lists of ingredients.

In addition to requiring clear labels, the FDA will now inspect any facilities that manufacture foods that contain sesame to prevent allergen cross-contact. 

Many companies that manufacture foods that contain sesame have already started the process of labeling their products, but the process could take three to six months before all the improperly labeled foods are sold or removed from stores’ shelves, Linde warned.