Food Allergen Labeling and Consumer Protection Act
Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under General Orders. Calendar No. 739.
Congressional Research Service
Official summary
Version 00 · Introduced in Senate · May 9, 2002
Food Allergen Consumer Protection Act - Amends the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act to require food labels to identify known food allergens contained therein or be deemed misbranded, without regard as to whether or not the presence of an allergen is intentional or unintentional.Defines "known food allergen" to include milk, eggs, fish, Crustacea, tree nuts, wheat, peanuts, soybeans, and their derivatives, as well as other grains containing gluten, and any food the Secretary of Health and Human Services determines to cause allergic or adverse responses which endanger human health. Includes spices, flavorings, colorings, or incidental additives that are or contain a known food allergen.Sets forth special requirements for raw agricultural commodities which are or contain a known food allergen.Sets forth criteria for labels, requiring a format comparable to that required for the disclosure of nutrition information. Requires certain manufacturers, packers, or distributors to include a toll-free telephone number on such label.Establishes civil penalties for violations of this Act.Requires the Secretary to issue rules which address the use of good manufacturing practices to minimize the unintentional presence of allergens in food and advisory labeling if such allergens may be unintentionally present.Requires the Secretary, acting through the Director of the Centers for Disease Control, to annually publish national data on the prevalence of food allergies and the incidence of deaths and injuries. Requires the Secretary to study the adequacy of existing data collection systems and possible alternative systems as well as educate health providers on improving data collection and analysis.
Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under General Orders. Calendar No. 739.
Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions. Reported by Senator Kennedy with an amendment in the nature of a substitute. With written report No. 107-322.
Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions. Reported by Senator Kennedy with an amendment in the nature of a substitute. With written report No. 107-322.
Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions. Ordered to be reported with an amendment in the nature of a substitute favorably.
Read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions. (text of measure as introduced: CR S4164-4165)
Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR S4163-4164)
Introduced in Senate
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Source last updated: Feb 10, 2026. Consult Congress.gov for the current record.
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