8 replies to this topic

[ksteele]

Has anyone seen that Kelloggs is adding peanut flour into creackers? What are your thoughts on this?

 

http://snacksafely.c...doing-business/

 

Why was it not announced to prevent a lack of awareness?

[QAGB]

Has anyone seen that Kelloggs is adding peanut flour into creackers? What are your thoughts on this?

 

http://snacksafely.c...doing-business/

 

Why was it not announced to prevent a lack of awareness?

 

 

Hi Ksteele,

 

I had not heard that news. It sounds like they are trying to use a cheaper alternative. I don't understand why this wasn't announced; especially with an allergen addition. I also don't understand why they would go about taking this risk at all, but it is their business decision and I would guess they've done their assessment. Hopefully there will be some sort of wording on the label to indicate new formula; to at least clue people in to checking out the ingredient statement.

 

Either way, this means people (especially those with allergies), need to read labels at all times. Just because a favorite snack used to contain certain ingredients, doesn't mean they will always stay the same.

 

 

QAGB

[RMAV]

The story, "Mexicali Soup" was read to me in second grade by a teacher I didn't really like.  Somehow that story stuck with me...and I was reminded of it by the hit piece and subsequent comments shown in the link. 

 

Kelloggs did announce the move in March according to a 3/31 post on snaksafely.  The linked post above dated 4/25 says "quietly announced."  The post also quotes an annual report as if it is their risk assessment of making the change to peanut flour.  The quote from the annual report (which does not reference peanut flour) was blatantly taken out of context, seemingly in an attempt to create a "Lee Iacocca moment."  Further, an annual report must disclose such risk to their shareholders, e.g., what are the risks to my investments as a shareholder? This is standard stuff.  So standard, in fact, much of the wording in the quote was stated by my instructor at SQF Practitioner training.

 

BTW, I have no dog in this fight other than when the truth is "bent," it is difficult to come to real solutions, and worse, good people get hurt.  Just my opinion, so take it for what it is.

[ksteele]

Let me step back and clarify my question to eliminate the 'politics' of it. I knew the article I posted was slanted- I just picked one to give a foundation for my comment. Essentially, as an industry, are  we saying we are willing to re-introduce allergens? and if so, how will we communicate it to the consumer? Much like Kraft's move to eliminate the artificial colors in their mac and cheese- Kelloggs (in my eyes) should have made a public announcement to notify consumers who have been purchasing a product for years so they are aware of a change. 

 

Kraft could have replaced their artificial colors with an allergen based 'real' color. To me, this is OK, because the public knows to check the boxes due to a change. 

 

Does anyone agree or disagree???

[ksteele]

Hi Ksteele,

 

I had not heard that news. It sounds like they are trying to use a cheaper alternative. I don't understand why this wasn't announced; especially with an allergen addition. I also don't understand why they would go about taking this risk at all, but it is their business decision and I would guess they've done their assessment. Hopefully there will be some sort of wording on the label to indicate new formula; to at least clue people in to checking out the ingredient statement.

 

Either way, this means people (especially those with allergies), need to read labels at all times. Just because a favorite snack used to contain certain ingredients, doesn't mean they will always stay the same.

 

 

QAGB

As a mother, I dread the thought that I would have to check the label of all my 'usual' purchases weekly because they might introduce an allergen. Thank heavens my kids don't have allergies- yet-. But shopping could get a lot longer and more labor intensive if I have to check the same brand cereal's box every week to see if their label and precautionary statements changed

[ksteele]

The story, "Mexicali Soup" was read to me in second grade by a teacher I didn't really like.  Somehow that story stuck with me...and I was reminded of it by the hit piece and subsequent comments shown in the link. 

 

Kelloggs did announce the move in March according to a 3/31 post on snaksafely.  The linked post above dated 4/25 says "quietly announced."  The post also quotes an annual report as if it is their risk assessment of making the change to peanut flour.  The quote from the annual report (which does not reference peanut flour) was blatantly taken out of context, seemingly in an attempt to create a "Lee Iacocca moment."  Further, an annual report must disclose such risk to their shareholders, e.g., what are the risks to my investments as a shareholder? This is standard stuff.  So standard, in fact, much of the wording in the quote was stated by my instructor at SQF Practitioner training.

 

BTW, I have no dog in this fight other than when the truth is "bent," it is difficult to come to real solutions, and worse, good people get hurt.  Just my opinion, so take it for what it is.

Completely agree. What I was really asking about was adding known allergens to products. Is this something other companies are seeing/doing? Are we beginning to go back to a more 'inclusive' Mexicali soup???

[QAGB]

As a mother, I dread the thought that I would have to check the label of all my 'usual' purchases weekly because they might introduce an allergen. Thank heavens my kids don't have allergies- yet-. But shopping could get a lot longer and more labor intensive if I have to check the same brand cereal's box every week to see if their label and precautionary statements changed

 

Hi KSteele,

I agree. I do try to keep up with food news and recalls, and I hadn't heard about it. I would guess there are many other consumers that hadn't heard about it either.  Regardless of the politics and the media spins, my point was based on the fact that they are making the change to replace an ingredient with one that is very risky for certain populations. Like I said, they must have accepted the risks, and perhaps they have plans to re-introduce this product in a way that will alert consumers.

 

I can't imagine how difficult it must be having severe food allergies, or having children with severe food allergies. Shopping must be fairly difficult, especially with label claims of "may contain this ingredient". Ingredient replacement is sometimes hard to avoid, especially if the cost of an ingredient sky-rockets for one reason or another, or even if companies want to have a cleaner label. However, I hope that companies continue to alert consumers on a mass scale (be it press release, label change, etc.) to significant ingredient changes including the addition of allergens.

 

 

QAGB

[RMAV]

I should point out my comments in my first post above was only about the linked blog post at snacksafely and not at all about ksteele's OP, and I appreciate ksteele starting this discussion.

 

As QA, I'm so happy I click heels and start a square dance (and I hate square dance) whenever we remove an allergen from a formula.  From a consumer perspective, I do not believe in depriving some in the population from nutritious food because that food may be a danger to others.  Those with food allergy, unfortunately, must live within that reality and thus be extremely cautious as QAGB noted above. It is a constant vigil for parents with food-allergic children.  A constant label watch of products you regularly buy is prudent.

 

I think it is fool-hardy to introduce a new allergen into a common, long-running product that most reasonable people would not think would contain.  I personally would not want my company to take that kind of risk.  But in the absence of real evidence of nefarious motives, I am not ready to tar and feather the people who would add allergens to a formula.

[Wowie]

I probably have a different perspective, since foodallergy.org is a website I frequent, but I would like to think this isn't the only place Kellogg announced the formula change. They seem to have had some correspondence on the March 30th announcement with consumers (and parents) via email, Facebook, and phone calls.

 

https://www.foodalle...nt-notices-feed