Sesame is being newly added to some foods. The FDA says it doesn’t violate an allergy law

By JONEL ALECCIA
AP Health Writer

Food manufacturers who deliberately add sesame to their products and include it on their labels are not violating a new federal allergy law. That’s according to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. More companies are adding sesame flour to foods that didn’t have it before because they say its easier to do that than try to keep the allergen away from other foods and equipment. The food safety advocacy group Center for Science in the Public Interest asked the FDA to halt what is an unintended consequence of a January law. Food allergy experts say more than 1.6 million Americans are allergic to sesame.