From: EAllynM@aol.com
Sent: Thursday, March 22, 2001 5:59 PM
To: OC EXECSEC
Subject: Better food labels and prevention of allergic reactions to food

My husband is seriously allergic to a number of foods including peaches, 
plums, apricots, cherries, nectarines, and almonds.   Unfortunately, current 
FDA regulations do not require food manufacturers to clearly label natural 
and artificial flavorings used in foods.  Therefore we usually avoid any 
foods in which the "natural or artificial flavoring" could be something such 
as almond extract or cherry flavoring.  

I urge you to ensure that food labels completely and accurately list known 
food allergens, including those used in flavorings.  Also, please require 
food manufacturers to take measures to prevent contamination of their 
products with food allergens not listed in the list of ingredients.   Also, 
it would be helpful if all food manufacturers had a toll free number where 
one could call for more information about the ingredients in the foods.  I 
have used such numbers to check to see if dessert had almond extract in it, 
but I would rather see the information on the label.  However, the toll free 
number was better than having no way to find out the information whatsoever.  

Thanks for your time and interest in this matter.

Emily Moore