If you have a food allergy, you usually look at the packaging carefully. After all, the food should by no means contain nuts, celery or anything else that you cannot tolerate. However, the note “May contain traces of…” is not a reliable guide for those affected.
Because the information that indicates possible unintentional contamination with allergens is voluntary. If it is missing, this does not completely rule out any traces of allergens, according to the Bavarian consumer advice center.
However, if manufacturers want to protect themselves against liability claims, the information can also lead to over-declaration. Manufacturers then list numerous allergens across the board, according to the Bavarian consumer advice center. However, this does not mean that the allergens actually got into the product unintentionally.
For allergy sufferers, in turn, the over-declaration means that many foods are initially out of the question with a view to the warning.
If you are unsure what is really in the food, the consumer initiative advises you to ask the manufacturer directly about the composition – and to ask how likely unintentional traces of allergens actually are. This also applies if the note “May contain traces of…” is not found on the packaging.
Anyone who is allergic to certain foods should also look at the list of ingredients for products that have always been well tolerated. Because the recipe of food can change from time to time.
In general, foods that are part of the regular recipe of a product are listed under the ingredients. 14 particularly important food allergens such as peanuts or celery must also be clearly marked in the list.
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