Food Allergies and Stahlbush Island Farms Foods

People contact us every day with questions like: “Is your facility peanut and tree nut free?” or “Can you explain your gluten-free claim?” At Stahlbush, we have strict programs in place to ensure that our foods are safe.

In the 1980s, we built our business by supplying ingredients to the baby food industry. Baby food has the strictest food safety requirements. Today, we have a robust program as a consequence. Providing safe, high-quality food is the most important thing that we do at Stahlbush Island Farms. We adhere to very rigorous food safety standards, and all employees are trained on them every year.

If you or your loved ones suffer from food allergies, our entire line of frozen fruits and vegetables can become part of your daily menu.

Stahlbush Island Farms is a leader in food safety. In addition to compliance with state and federal regulations, Stahlbush Island Farms invites independent, third-party inspection of our food safety, sanitation, and documentation procedures. Stahlbush is proud to consistently score in the “excellent” range for food safety audits completed by NSF international. Stahlbush continues to increase our spending on pathogen testing, education, and training every year. Included in our food safety program is routine testing for pathogens such as Listeria, Salmonella, and E. coli. We also have the highest standards for allergen control and prevention of cross-contamination.

What are the allergens that must be labeled in the USA?

In the United States, the FDA estimates that 2 percent of adults suffer from food allergies. When a person has a food allergy and consumes an allergen, within a few minutes to two hours symptoms will emerge ranging from (but not limited to) hives, vomiting, difficulty breathing or anaphylaxis. There is no cure for food allergies. Most food allergies can be traced back to a list that is commonly referred to as the Big 8 in the United States. These foods are: milk, eggs, fish, shellfish, tree nuts, peanuts, wheat and soybeans. Since these foods are considered high risk, the FDA requires that food manufacturers label any food product sold in the US that contains the Big-8. However, people with severe allergies often need more assurances than what’s on the label. Remember in some cases, allergies can be life-threatening!

Wheat/Gluten

Wheat is a grass that is widely cultivated for its grain, which is a staple in most foods. Many foods contain wheat from pasta, cakes and breads to unsuspecting foods like ketchup, beer and soy sauce. A wheat allergy causes an adverse reaction to proteins found in wheat. A wheat allergy is different than celiac disease. Celiac disease causes an abnormal reaction to one protein in particular, gluten. Gluten is a protein that naturally occurs in wheat, rye and barley. According to the FDA, 3 million Americans suffer from celiac disease. At Stahlbush, we have added the gluten-free statement to all of our products. At the farm, we do occasionally process barley, farro, and rye, but not wheat. A complete cleaning is conducted after each run of any items containing gluten to remove any trace or cross-contamination. The FDA defines gluten-free as containing less than 20 parts per million (ppm) of gluten.

Milk

There are two main proteins in cow’s milk that can cause an allergic reaction. When milk curdles, the solid parts are called casein, which is one of these proteins. The other protein is whey, which is the liquid part remaining after milk curdles. Most people that react to cow’s milk will also react to sheep, goat, and buffalo milk. On food labels, it is common to see the ingredient listed as whey (milk). We do not process whey or milk products at Stahlbush.

Eggs

An allergy to eggs is most common among children. Most children will actually outgrow this allergy by adolescence. When reading an ingredient label avoid any food that has: eggs, egg whites, dried egg or albumin. We do not process any of these products at Stahlbush.

Fish

An allergy to fish can be life-threatening. Read labels carefully and avoid fish or fish products of any kind. Common fish include: cod, herring, halibut, mackerel, trout and salmon. We do not process any of these products at Stahlbush.

Shellfish

Most people assume that allergies to shellfish and fish are the same thing. They are not. Within the shellfish category, crustacean reactions tend to be the most severe. Crustaceans are defined as crab, lobster and shrimp. Mollusks on the other hand tend to be tolerated. These reactions are not commonly life-threatening. Mollusks are defined as clams, mussels, oysters and scallops. We do not process any of these products at Stahlbush.

Tree Nuts

The most common causes of anaphylaxis in the United States are attributed to peanuts and tree nuts. Allergies to tree nuts are often confused with peanuts. One of the reasons for the confusion is that a single tree nut allergy is more likely to present itself if a person has an allergy to peanuts. The most common tree nuts are: almonds, Brazil nuts, cashews, hazelnuts, pecans, pistachios and walnuts. We do not process any of these products at Stahlbush.

Peanuts

A peanut is a legume, not a tree nut. It is a common ingredient in candy, cereal and baked goods, like cookies and pies. Peanut allergies can be severe. For this reason, some manufacturers will voluntarily add to labels “product may contain” or “made in a facility that uses.” However, it’s important to note that this information is not a requirement. We do not process or use peanuts at Stahlbush.

Soybeans

Soy is a legume that is a popular ingredient in processed foods and infant formulas. Soy can be found in common ingredients like soy milk and soy sauce, to canned broths, canned tuna, processed meats, and even energy bars. Soy allergies rarely cause a severe reaction like anaphylaxis. People with soy allergies should avoid consuming: edamame, miso, tempeh, and tofu. We do not process or use soy at Stahlbush.

For any food manufacturer, providing safe, high-quality food is of the utmost importance. If you have questions about specific medical conditions and how certain foods interact with those conditions, please talk to your doctor. For any additional questions or topics that we didn’t cover in this article, feel free to contact us at sif@stahlbush.com.