Sesame now listed as official “major food allergen”

Sesame is now listed as an official “major food allergen.”

The plant is now the ninth food added to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration’s list of major food allergens.

The addition is due to the Food Allergy Safety, Treatment, Education and Research (FASTER) Act which was signed into law last spring.

The other major allergens are milk, eggs, fish, crustacean shellfish, tree nuts, peanuts, wheat and soybeans.

Together, the FDA says they account for nearly all  food allergies and serious allergic reactions in the U.S.

Sesame is a common ingredient in oriental foods and cereals like granola, tortilla chips, crackers and baked goods such as bagels.

Symptoms of sesame allergy reaction can include coughing, itchy throat, vomiting, diarrhea, mouth rash, shortness of breath, wheezing and drops in blood pressure.

To help protect consumers with food allergies and other food hypersensitivities, the FDA requires companies to list major food allergens or ingredients on packaged foods and beverages.

There are more specific labeling requirements for certain foods and substances that cause allergies or other hypersensitivity reactions.