Legislative aspects of allergen labelling: a review of European legislation in force and the position of Slovenian consumers with food allergy

Prehranska alergija je imunska reakcija na določeno živilo, ki lahko pri posamezniku izzove različne simptome, tudi smrt, zato je toliko bolj pomembno, da se posameznika zaščiti pred takšnimi reakcijami. V nalogi so obravnavane uredbe, direktive ter slovenski pravilnik s področja označevanja živil ter varnosti živil, s poudarkom na področju označevanja alergenov. S pomočjo anketnega vprašalnika objavljenega na spletu med februarjem in aprilom 2013, z vprašanji vezanimi na doživljanje potrošnikov na prehranske alergije, sem pridobila podatke, ki sem jih ovrednotila s programom SPSS. Rezultatov razširjenosti prehranskih alergij v Sloveniji ne moremo primerjati s splošno znanimi podatki, so se pa kot najpogostejše v naši anketni raziskavi pokazale alergije na mleko in mlečne izdelke, gluten, jajca ter oreške in arašide. Težave zaradi prehranskih alergij pri večini anketirancev vplivajo na kvaliteto življenja predvsem zaradi povečane skrbi glede označb na živilih, povečanega finančnega izdatka zaradi izbire primernih živil, strahu pred zaužitjem škodljivega živila ter omejenega prehranjevanja zunaj doma. Anketiranci so bili tudi večinskega mnenja, da živilski izdelki, ki vsebujejo alergene sestavine niso dovolj dobro označeni in da zakonodaja ne skrbi dovolj dobro za posameznike s prehranskimi alergijami. Obravnavana živilska zakonodaja se prilagaja potrebam posameznikov z alergijami vendar pa so spremembe še mogoče in tudi s strani dovzetnih posameznikov pričakovane. Food allergy is an immune reaction to a certain food that can cause a variety of symptoms, even death. Therefore it is all the more important to protect the individual against such reactions. In my thesis I will discuss the regulations, directives and Slovenian rules on food labelling and food safety, with an emphasis on the labelling of allergens. With the help of a questionnaire published on the Internet between February and April 2013, which included questions related to the perception of consumers to food allergies, I have gained valuable information that I have evaluated with SPSS. We cannot compare the prevalence of food allergies in Slovenia with the generally available information on the prevalence of food allergies. The results of our questionnaire showed that the most commonly manifested food allergies are allergy to milk and milk products, gluten, eggs, nuts and peanuts. Problems due to food allergies mostly affect the quality of life. This is mainly because people have to look through food labels on a daily basis, which increases their concerns. In addition people have increased financial expenses due to the selection of appropriate foods. Moreover, they are also limited when it comes to eating out and also fear to eat harmful foods outside their home. Respondents in majority thought that food products containing allergenic ingredients are not well marked and that the law does not care enough for individuals with food allergies. The present food law is trying to adapt to the needs of individuals with allergies but there is still, room for changes, which open-minded individuals also expect.