Hidden Hazards
Why Undeclared Allergens Keep Slipping Through
By Baljit Kheeva, Food Safety Systems Specialist, Meat & Poultry Ontario
When Canadians read a food label, most expect that the ingredient list tells the whole story. For the nearly three million Canadians living with food allergies, that trust can be a matter of life and death. Still, undeclared allergens remain one of the top causes of food recalls, raising serious questions about how these hidden hazards continue to find their way into grocery carts.
In recent months, the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) has issued multiple recalls tied to undeclared allergens—shrimp in frozen meals, milk proteins in chocolate, and tree nuts in crackers. Each case underscores the same truth: allergen control continues to be one of the weakest points in modern food production.
Why Allergen Control Is So Challenging
Unlike microbial hazards, which can be destroyed by heat or processing, allergens are resilient. A trace amount of peanut protein or milk residue can trigger a severe reaction, even anaphylaxis, in sensitive individuals. The risks are compounded by the complexity of today’s food supply chain.
Many smaller processors rely on co-packers and shared production facilities where cross-contact is difficult to eliminate. Ingredient sourcing from multiple global suppliers also increases the risk of errors—a mislabelled bulk shipment or a supplier change without proper documentation can slowly result in a major recall.
Human error is another frequent factor. Something as simple as applying the wrong label during a high-speed packaging run can place consumers at risk. In other cases, new product development outpaces allergen control plans, and staff training lags innovation.
The Regulatory Perspective
Canada, like many jurisdictions, requires clear labelling of priority allergens, including peanuts, tree nuts, milk, eggs, soy, wheat, sesame, seafood, and sulphites. CFIA enforces these rules and responds swiftly to undeclared allergen incidents, often triggered by consumer complaints or company self-reports.
While regulators have strengthened oversight, enforcement alone cannot solve the problem. Bringing to the conclusion that the system needs to be proactive rather than reactive. The emphasis is shifting toward prevention, with regulatory bodies encouraging processors to build robust allergen management into their food safety programs.
Industry Best Practices
Many companies are stepping up their controls. Leading practices include:
• Dedicated production lines for allergen-free items wherever feasible.
• Validated cleaning protocols that ensure equipment is free of allergenic residues between runs.
• Strict supplier verification, including allergen declarations and random testing.
• Barcode or vision systems that reduce labelling errors by scanning packaging before use.
• Regular staff training to keep allergen awareness at the Forefront.
For smaller operators, these measures can be resourceintensive. Still, experts stress that prevention is always less costly than a recall—both financially and in terms of brand reputation.
The Consumer Impact
For families managing food allergies, recalls create both anxiety and vigilance fatigue. Each new alert means another scan of ingredient lists, another cautious review of favourite products, and often, another round of explaining to children why a trusted snack is suddenly off limits. Allergy advocacy groups stress that beyond regulatory and industry responses, communication matters. Clear, timely recall notices and transparent labelling are essential to rebuilding consumer trust.
Looking Ahead
Food allergies show no sign of disappearing. If anything, prevalence appears to be rising, especially among children. That reality makes allergen control a central pillar of food safety — not a niche issue. Processors, regulators, and consumers alike have a role to play. Stronger supply-chain management, investment in prevention technologies, and continued public education are all needed to reduce the frequency of recalls. Until then, Undeclared allergens remains one of the toughest, and most personal, food safety problems we face.
