To raise awareness and warn consumers and food producers who are allergic to peanuts, peanut residues were searched for in cakes in the Istanbul market by ELISA. A total of 84 cake samples were collected, including 42 packaged cakes that were labeled as peanut-free and 42 unpackaged open cakes that were reported to be peanut-free by the seller.
Res. See. Ayşe Seray Çetin said that peanut residues were detected in 2.4% of the packaged cakes collected and 37.8% of the unpackaged products. Stating that these rates are quite high for individuals who are allergic to peanuts, Res. See. Ayşe Seray Cetin,
“It was concluded that the presence of peanut residues in different amounts in the packaged and unpackaged cake samples does not comply with the criteria of the Turkish Food Codex and therefore may threaten public health,” he said.
Stating that peanut allergy can cause sudden and serious problems such as anaphylactic shock, it is necessary to be more careful. See. Ayşe Seray Cetin,
“Peanut allergy can occur in childhood, and some individuals may develop an allergy to peanuts in adulthood. In some very sensitive individuals, even intakes as small as micrograms can cause reactions. Ingestion of milligrams causes systemic reactions such as anaphylactic shock. This can even lead to death. This shows how dangerous and serious peanut allergy is. Oilseeds such as peanuts cause sudden and serious conditions such as anaphylactic shock. In such cases, it is necessary to apply to the hospital as soon as possible.”
IMPORTANT POINT FOR FOOD ALLERGY “CONTENTS AND LABELING”
Emphasizing that there is no cure for food allergies yet, Çetin said that it is very important for the manufacturers to specify the content at the point of avoiding food that is an allergen, and made the following statements:
“Peanut allergy symptoms include important symptoms such as narrowing of the respiratory tract, urticaria, eczema, and edema in the pharynx. There may be a simple reaction such as itching if exposed to a small amount, but this can also vary according to the sensitivity of the person. Foodstuffs such as walnuts and peanuts cause allergic reactions even through inhalation. There is no cure for food allergies yet. Therefore, the most effective method of preventing allergies is to identify the foods that cause allergies and completely remove them from the diet. At this point, labeling is also important. In line with the relevant regulation, food manufacturers have to inform the consumer about the allergens on the labels of the products they sell. Here, the consumer must pay attention to the label reading. Especially those with allergies should not neglect to read the label.”
You can find the details of the interview broadcast on national news channels from the links below.
https://www.cumhuriyet.com.tr/turkiye/ambalajsiz-kekdeki-olumcul-risk-1883277
https://www.aksam.com.tr/mor-papatya/bu-kek-zehirlenen-yer-fistigi-alerjisi-olanlar-dikkat/haber-1218731
https://yeniistiklal.com/haberler/ambalajsiz-kekdeki-olumcul-risk-381976
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https://www.dailymotion.com/video/x85dj7x
https://www.starhaber.net/ambalaji-olmayan-keklerin-olum-tehlikesi/
