Istanbul Gelisim University - Deadly risk in unpackaged cakes

Deadly risk in unpackaged cakes

After the studies on 84 packaged and unpackaged cake samples taken from different places in Istanbul, the result was surprising. According to the criteria of the Turkish Food Codex, "peanut" residue, which is one of the allergenic foods that cause the most deaths in the world, was not found suitable for consumption, especially in unpackaged cakes.

There are certain foodstuffs that we need to take for adequate and balanced nutrition, and it is very important for our nutrition to be able to take these foodstuffs safely. However, problems such as food allergies are at the forefront of food-borne health problems that affect both children and adults. Food allergies have become a public health problem that has increased its effectiveness and prevalence in recent years. The most common allergen foods worldwide have been gathered under a group by the American Food and Drug Administration (FDA). One of the allergenic foods that can even lead to death determined by law is peanuts.

Peanut is the most dangerous of all food allergens. Therefore, it is the most common cause of fatal foodborne anaphylaxis in developed and developing countries. Individuals with peanut allergy are at risk of exposure to peanuts in cases such as the use of raw materials contaminated with peanuts, cross-contamination during processing, unintentional allergen transfer from shared equipment, deliberate participation or non-compliance with labeling rules.

In order to raise awareness and warn both consumers who are allergic to peanuts and food producers, peanut residues were searched in cakes in the Istanbul market by ELISA. For this purpose, a total of 84 cake samples were collected, including 42 packaged cakes that were declared to contain no peanuts on their labels, and 42 unpackaged open cakes that were declared to be peanut-free by the seller.

“37.8 PERCENT OF UNPACKAGED AND 2.4% OF PACKAGED PEANUT”

Research Assistant at Istanbul Gelisim University, Ayşe Seray Çetin, who took part in the study, said that 2,4 percent of the packaged cakes and 37.8 percent of the unpackaged products were found to contain peanut residue. Ayşe Seray Çetin, emphasizing that these rates are quite high, especially on behalf of individuals allergic to peanuts, said, "It has been concluded that the packaged and unpackaged cake samples, which contain different amounts of peanut residues, do not comply with the criteria of the Turkish Food Codex and therefore may threaten public health."

“LACK OF HYGIENE AND PERSONNEL AWARENESS CAUSES REMAINS”

Stating that the most important reasons for residues to appear in cakes are the lack of hygiene in production and the lack of awareness of the working personnel at this point, Çetin said, "Packaged products are more reliable in terms of allergenic residues than unpackaged products." Çetin added, “The main point is the mistakes in the production and packaging stages. If production is started without effective cleaning of production errors or tools and equipment used in production, there is naturally cross contamination from the previous product to the next product. If the previous product contains peanuts, the next product causes allergenic reactions because it contains a residue even if it is not a peanut product by cross contact.”

“CAN CAUSE SUMMARY AND SERIOUS PROBLEMS SUCH AS ANAFLACTIC SHOCK”

Stating that peanut allergy can cause sudden and serious problems such as anaphylactic shock, Çetin said, "Peanut allergy can actually occur in childhood, and some individuals may develop allergy to peanuts in adulthood. In some very sensitive individuals, even ingestions as small as micrograms can cause reactions. Ingestion of milligrams causes systemic reactions such as anaphylactic shock. This can even lead to death. In fact, 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 go to the hospital as soon as possible.”

“CONTENT AND LABELING ARE IMPORTANT FOR FOOD ALLERGY”

Underlining that there is no cure for food allergies yet, Çetin continued her statements by saying that it is very important for the manufacturers to specify the content at the point of avoiding food that is allergen and added;
“Peanut allergy symptoms include narrowing of the respiratory tract, urticaria, eczema, and pharyngeal edema. 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 are obliged to inform the consumer about allergenic substances on the labels of the products they sell. Here, the duty of the consumer is to pay attention to the label reading. Especially those with allergies should definitely not neglect to read the label.”

“THOSE WHO HAVE ALLERGY TO UNPACKAGED AND OPEN SOLD FOODS SHOULD BE EXTRA CAREFUL”

Saying, "Especially if you are allergic to a very serious food such as peanuts, it is useful to be more careful when consuming unpackaged and open products," said Çetin, in order to eliminate this situation that can cause major health problems, "This situation shows us that peanut residues in different proportions. Our finding is not in line with the food codex. It is contrary and in fact, there is a situation that seriously threatens public health. In order to eliminate this situation, all personnel working in production should be trained effectively on issues such as kitchen hygiene, allergens, cross contamination and cross contact. She concluded her words by saying that the level of awareness of the personnel working in the production and the food producer companies about labeling should be increased.”