Food Allergy Safety, Treatment, Education, and Research (FASTER) Act adds Sesame as US 9th Food Allergen

With the FASTER Act is passed in 2021, the US will join the European Union, Australia, and Canada in recognizing sesame as a serious food allergy, and starting in 2023, it will be required to be labeled as such. Sesame has long been known as a prevalent food allergen in the Middle East and North Africa, but the Food Allergy Safety, Treatment, Education, and Research (FASTER) Act in the US is one sign that this food allergen is starting to gain more recognition internationally. 

In the Middle East, sesame and its derivatives, including tahini and hummus, are widely used in a range of goods. One noteworthy aspect of sesame allergy is that a significant fraction of individuals appear to present with anaphylaxis. Management of a sesame food allergy is important because two-thirds of patients with sesame allergies will continue to have them as adults. Foods known to contain sesame should be avoided by patients with sesame allergies. This will eventually be made simpler by the requirement that items containing sesame be labeled as required in several nations, including the United States.