Effective January 1, 2023, sesame joined the list of major food allergens.  The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) now requires that foods containing sesame are subject to specific food allergen regulatory requirements, including labeling and manufacturing requirements.

This addition to the list of major food allergens is the result of the Food Allergy Safety, Treatment, Education, and Research (FASTER) Act, which was signed into law April 23, 2021.  With the addition of sesame, there are now nine major food allergens that trigger these special disclosures: milk, eggs, fish, Crustacean shellfish, tree nuts, peanuts, wheat, soybeans, and sesame.  Previously, in November 2020, FDA recommended food manufacturers voluntarily disclose sesame as an ingredient on food labels.

Foods introduced into interstate commerce before 2023 do not need to be removed from the marketplace or relabeled to declare the presence of sesame.  Accordingly, depending on shelf life, it will be some time before all sesame-containing products feature updated allergen disclosures.