Getting the Most Out of Food Allergy Management Programs in Schools

Graphic courtesy of Nosneezezone.com.

ALEXANDRIA, Va.- Food allergies are a growing concern in school nutrition. “It has been estimated that about 11 million Americans have a food allergy, representing about two percent of adults, and six to eight percent of children under the age of three,” said Jeannie Sneed, a food safety specialist with the USDA Food and Nutrition Services.

Ms. Sneed gave her comments during the first session of the School Nutrition Foundation’s three-part webinar series. In this first session dealing with managing food allergies in schools, Ms. Sneed added that, “school nutrition personnel are being asked more and more frequently to accommodate food allergy needs, so we believe that it is important to provide opportunities to dialogue about the role of school nutrition in meeting these demands.”

According to Ms. Sneed, approximately 90 percent of all food allergies are the results of an immune response, such as an anaphylactic reaction, to the following foods/ingredients: peanuts, tree nuts, milk, wheat, soy, fish, and shell fish.

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Schools Invite Parents to Attend a Free Interactive Web Series on Food Allergies

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ALEXANDRIA, Va.- Parents who have children with food allergies are always worrying that their children will eat something they shouldn’t. School systems hold the same concerns for the students that they are entrusted with.

One measure being taken by school systems in collaboration with city, state, and federal official is a free three-part interactive web seminar series entitled, ‘Managing Food Allergies in Schools.’

The first installment of the series will take place on April 29, and will provide an overview of eight major food allergens, and the legal responsibilities of school districts to accommodate students with these allergies. The School Nutrition Foundation, which is sponsoring, organizing, and hosting the series, was unavailable for comment in time for this posting to elaborate on what allergies would be discussed.

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Facility Cross-Contamination Fears Forcing Pistachio Provider to Expand Recall Scope

Photo courtesy of Caren Firouz.

TERRA BELLA, Calif.- Setton Pistachio of Terra Bella Inc. is voluntarily expanding its recall to include all lots of roasted in-shell pistachios, roasted shelled pistachios, and shelled raw pistachios that were produced from nuts harvested in 2008, due to concerns about potential Salmonella contamination.

The bacteria can cause serious and sometimes fatal infections in young children, frail or elderly people, and others with weakened immune systems.

The expanded recall comes after the U.S. Food and Drug Administration and the California Department of Public Health inspected the company facilities and found the presence of Salmonella in critical areas, which contributed to the fear of potential cross-contamination between raw and roasted products.

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USDA Increasing Milk Supply to Aide Struggling Americans

Photo courtesy of the Riverlands Lodge.

WASHINGTON, D.C.- In a measure to help struggling Americans, approximately 200 million pounds of products made from nonfat dry milk will be made available to domestic feeding programs, according to the United States Department of Agriculture‘s Food and Nutrition Service.

The goal is to help both struggling low-income families, and dairy farmers who have been challenged by high feed costs and low dairy prices. “The USDA’s disposal plan will benefit dairy farmers who have seen markets disappear and prices plummet in recent months, by increasing consumption of milk and other dairy products,” said Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack in a statement.

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Salmonella Fears Result in Nature’s Path Recalling Select Granola Products

RICHMOND, British Columbia - Nature’s Path Organic Foods is voluntarily recalling a select group of its granola bar and granola cereal products due to potential Salmonella contamination. The recall is a precautionary measure because the peanuts in the products came from the Peanut Corporation of America, Blakely, Ga., which earlier this year distributed potentially contaminated products to more than 100 consignee firms for use as ingredients.

Salmonella is an organism which can cause serious and sometimes fatal infections in young children, frail or elderly people, and others with weakened immune systems. Healthy people infected with Salmonella often experience fever, diarrhea (which may be blooded), nausea, vomiting, and abdominal pain.

In rare circumstances, infection with Salmonella can result in the organism getting into the bloodstream and producing more severe illnesses such as arterial infections, endocarditic, and arthritis.

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