President Signs Food Allergy Safety, Treatment, Education & Research (FASTER) Act

President Biden recently signed into law the Food Allergy Safety, Treatment, Education and Research (FASTER) Act (S. 578), which requires that sesame be labeled as an allergen on packaged foods. Sesame would become the ninth food allergen that FDA requires on label. Sesame is often used when a label reads “natural flavors” or “natural spices”. The bill also establishes a risk-based scientific process and framework for establishing additional allergens covered by the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act. 

While it does not require restaurants to label sesame on their menus, it will put pressure on the states to add sesame to their allergen requirements for restaurants, which can be difficult.  The legislation allows for a long implementation which will help restaurants at the state level and gives two years for the packaging changes to occur.
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