Sesame seeds – One of the nine most common food allergens

Source: Canadian Food Inspection Agency

Allergic reactions

Allergic reactions are severe adverse reactions that occur when the body’s immune system overreacts to a particular allergen. These reactions may be caused by food, insect stings, latex, medications and other substances. In Canada, the nine priority food allergens are peanuts, tree nuts, sesame seeds, milk, eggs, seafood (fish, crustaceans and shellfish), soy, wheat and sulphites (a food additive).

What are the symptoms of an allergic reaction?

When someone comes in contact with an allergen, the symptoms of a reaction may develop quickly and rapidly progress from mild to severe. The most severe form of an allergic reaction is called anaphylaxis. Symptoms can include breathing difficulties, a drop in blood pressure or shock, which may result in loss of consciousness and even death. A person experiencing an allergic reaction may have any of the following symptoms:

• Flushed face, hives or a rash, red and itchy skin
• Swelling of the eyes, face, lips, throat and tongue
• Trouble breathing, speaking or swallowing
• Anxiety, distress, faintness, paleness, sense of doom, weakness
• Cramps, diarrhea, vomiting
• A drop in blood pressure, rapid heart beat, loss of consciousness

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How are food allergies and severe allergic reactions treated?

Currently there is no cure for food allergies. The only option is complete avoidance of the specific allergen. Appropriate emergency treatment for anaphylaxis (a severe food allergy reaction) includes an injection of adrenaline, which is available in an auto-injector device. Adrenaline must be administered as soon as symptoms of a severe allergic reaction appear. The injection must be followed by further treatment and observation in a hospital emergency room. If your allergist has diagnosed you with a food allergy and prescribed adrenaline, carry it with you all the time and know how to use it. Follow your allergist’s advice on how to use an auto-injector device.

Frequently asked questions about sesame seed allergies

I have a sesame seed allergy. How can I avoid a sesame seed-related reaction?

Avoid all food and products that contain sesame seeds and sesame derivatives. These include any product whose ingredient list warns it “may contain” or “may contain traces of” sesame.

How can I determine if a product contains sesame seeds or sesame derivatives?

Always read the ingredient list carefully. Sesame seeds and sesame derivatives can often be present under different names, e.g., tahini. For other common ingredient label names, refer to the list below.

What do I do if I am not sure whether a product contains sesame seeds or sesame derivatives?

If you have a sesame seed allergy, do not eat or use the product. Get ingredient information from the manufacturer.

Does product size affect the likelihood of an allergic reaction?

It does not affect the likelihood of a reaction; however, the same brand of product may be safe to consume for one product size but not another. This is because product formulation may vary between different product sizes of the same product.

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Watch out for allergen cross contamination!

Cross contamination is the transfer of an ingredient (food allergen) to a product that does not normally have that ingredient in it. Through cross contamination, a food that should not contain the allergen could become dangerous to eat for those who are allergic.

Cross contamination can happen:

• during food manufacturing through shared production and packaging equipment;
• at retail through shared equipment, e.g., cheese and deli meats sliced on the same slicer; and through bulk display of food products, e.g., bins of baked goods, bulk nuts; and
• during food preparation at home or in restaurants through equipment, utensils and hands.

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Avoiding sesame seeds and sesame derivatives

Make sure you read product labels carefully to avoid products that contain sesame seeds and sesame derivatives. Avoid food and products that do not have an ingredient list and read labels every time you shop. Manufacturers may occasionally change their recipes or use different ingredients for varieties of the same brand. Refer to the following list before shopping:

Other names for sesame seeds

Benne/benne seed/benniseed
Gingelly/gingelly oil
Seeds
Sesamol/sesamolina
Sesamum indicum
Sim sim
Tahina
Tahini
Til
Vegetable oil

Possible sources of sesame seeds

Aqua Libra® (herbal drink)
Baked goods, e.g., breads, cookies, pastries, bagels, buns
Bread crumbs, bread sticks, cereals, crackers, melba toast, muesli
Dips, pâtés, spreads, e.g., hummus, chutney
Dressings, gravies, marinades, salads, sauces, soups
Ethnic foods, e.g., flavoured rice, noodles, shish kebabs, stews, stir fry
Flavour(ing)
Herbs, seasoning, spice
Margarine
Processed meats, sausages
Risotto (rice dish)
Sesame oil, sesame salt (gomasio)
Snack foods, e.g., bagel/pita chips, candy, granola bars, halvah, pretzels, rice cakes, sesame snap bars
Tahini
Tempeh
Vegetarian burgers

Non-food sources of sesame seeds

Adhesive bandages
Cosmetics, hair care products, perfumes, soaps, sun screens
Drugs
Fungicides, insecticides
Lubricants, ointments, topical oils
Pet food
Sesame meal, e.g., poultry and livestock feed

Note: These lists are not complete and may change. Food and food products purchased from other countries, through mail-order or the Internet, are not always produced using the same manufacturing and labelling standards as in Canada.

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What can I do?

Be informed

See an allergist and educate yourself about food allergies. Contact your local allergy association for further information.

If you or anyone you know has food allergies or would like to receive information about food being recalled, sign up for the Canadian Food Inspection Agency’s (CFIA) free e-mail “Food Recalls and Allergy Alerts” notification service available at www.inspection.gc.ca/english/tools/listserv/listsube.shtml?foodrecalls_rappelsaliments. When you sign up you will automatically receive food recall public warnings.

Before eating

Allergists recommend that if you do not have your auto-injector device with you that you do not eat. If an ingredient list says a product “may contain” or “does contain” sesame or sesame derivatives, do not eat it. If you do not recognize an ingredient or there is no ingredient list available, avoid the product.

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What is the Government of Canada doing about food allergens?

The Government of Canada is committed to providing safe food to all Canadians. The CFIA and Health Canada work closely with municipal, provincial and territorial partners and industry to meet this goal.

The CFIA enforces Canada’s labelling laws and works with associations, distributors, food manufacturers and importers to ensure complete and appropriate labelling of all foods. The CFIA recommends that food companies establish effective allergen controls to prevent the occurrence of undeclared allergens and cross-contamination. The CFIA has developed guidelines and tools to aid them in developing these controls. When the CFIA becomes aware of a potential serious hazard associated with a food, such as undeclared allergens, the food product is recalled from the marketplace and a public warning is issued. The CFIA has also published several advisories to industry and consumers regarding allergens in food.

Health Canada has worked with the medical community, consumer associations, and the food industry to enhance labelling regulations for priority allergens, gluten sources and sulphites in pre-packaged food sold in Canada. Health Canada is proposing to amend the Food and Drug Regulations to require that the most common food and food ingredients that cause life-threatening or severe allergic reactions are always identified by their common names allowing consumers to easily recognize them.

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Where can I get more information?

For more information on:

• food allergies;
• ordering free copies of this pamphlet; and
• subscribing to the free “Food Recalls and Allergy Alerts” e-mail notification service,

visit the CFIA Website at www.inspection.gc.ca or call 1-800-442-2342/TTY 1-800-465-7735 (8:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. Eastern time, Monday to Friday).

Below are some organizations that can provide additional allergy information:

Allergy/Asthma Information Association
www.aaia.ca

Anaphylaxis Canada
www.anaphylaxis.ca

Association québécoise des allergies alimentaires
www.aqaa.qc.ca (French only)

Canadian Society of Allergy and Clinical Immunology
www.csaci.ca (English only)

Health Canada
www.hc-sc.gc.ca

Developed in consultation with Allergy/Asthma Information Association, Anaphylaxis Canada, Association québécoise des allergies alimentaires, Canadian Society of Allergy and Clinical Immunology and Health Canada.