sulfites in tuna

[Tanya Andrea Balekian]

 Wow! how interesting to read this. I had a friend about 7 months ago who
ate tuna all the time in preparation for a fitness cometition. She was
asthmatic, but not bad. She always developed breathing problems within
about 30 minutes of finishing her meals, which for about 1 month consisted
of at least 2 or 3 cans of tuna per day. She thought it was a weather
change or she was going through a new phase of asthma. 
     Thanks for posting that Tanya B.

On Fri, 14 Mar 1997, Debbie McClurg-Hitt wrote:


> Ref:

> http://www.fda.gov/bbs/topics/ANSWERS/ANS00790.html

> 

> FDA TALK PAPER

> 

> Food and Drug Administration

> U.S. Department of Health and Human Services

> Public Health Service 5600 Fishers Lane Rockville, MD

> 20857

> 

> T97-13                         Arthur Whitmore   (202) 205-4144

> March 7, 1997                  Broadcast Media:  (301) 827-3434

>                                    Consumer Hotline: (800) 532-4440

> 

> FDA WARNS ASTHMATICS, OTHER SULFITE-SENSITIVE

> CONSUMERS ON TUNA

> 

>      FDA today warned sulfite-sensitive asthmatics and other

> sulfite-sensitive consumers that canned tuna products may

> contain undeclared sulfites.  The National Food Processors

> Association and the U.S. tuna industry yesterday advised

> the agency that most white

> (albacore) tuna and a limited amount of light tuna contain

> sulfites not declared on the product labels.

>      Sulfite-sensitive asthmatics and other sulfite-sensitive

> individuals should not consume at this time any white

> (albacore) canned tuna, and should check with the industry's

> information number, 800-283-1112, for specific information

> about the presence of sulfites in albacore and light canned

> tuna products.

>      Sulfites can cause serious and life-threatening reactions

> in certain asthmatics and other sulfite-sensitive individuals. 

> The undeclared sulfites in canned tuna do not present a risk

> to individuals who are not asthmatic or otherwise sulfite

> sensitive.

>       Sulfites and sulfiting agents are added to many food

> products as preservatives.  Food manufacturers who add

> detectable levels of sulfites to food products are required to

> declare its presence on product labels.

>      The National Food Processors Association and the U.S.

> Tuna

> Foundation yesterday informed FDA that sulfites have been

> added to a significant proportion of canned tuna products

> inadvertently and without manufacturers' knowledge.   The

> sulfites apparently were contained but not declared in a raw

> material -- hydrolyzed vegetable protein -- which is added to

> the tuna to enhance flavor.

>      The industry has informed FDA it has now discontinued

> use of raw materials containing sulfites.

>      FDA and the industry are cooperating in notifying

> asthmatics and other sulfite-sensitive individuals across the

> country of the presence of undeclared sulfites in canned tuna

> products.  The industry has agreed to place advertisements

> in newspapers informing sulfite-sensitive consumers of the

> problem.  It has also alerted the National Food Allergy

> Network to aid in the effort to communicate information to

> susceptible individuals.  In addition, manufacturers will

> relabel canned tuna currently containing sulfites with stickers

> declaring its presence.

>      FDA is investigating in cooperation with industry to

> determine how the problem occurred and how it can be

> prevented from recurring.

>                                 ####

> 

> FDA Talk Papers are prepared by the Press Office to guide

> FDA personnel in responding with consistency and accuracy

> to questions from the public on subjects of current interest.

> Talk Papers are subject to change as more information

> becomes available.

>             

> 

> 

>