The efforts of the Coconut Coalition of the Americas (CCA) have finally borne fruit, as the FDA has officially reclassified coconuts, removing them from the tree nuts category. In recent years, the CCA has been actively working to rectify the misclassification of coconuts as tree nuts. Although coconuts grow on trees and are commonly referred to as nuts, they do not fall under the tree nut classification and should not be regarded as a significant food allergen.
According to the latest guidance document (Questions and Answers Regarding Food Allergens, Including the Food Allergen Labeling Requirements of the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act Edition 5), coconuts are now recognized as an ingredient that is not classified as a tree nut for allergen labeling purposes. This decision was informed by scientific studies indicating that coconuts infrequently cause severe allergic reactions, in contrast to tree nuts, which have a well-documented allergenic profile. This development represents a major win for the coconut industry.
CCA President Peter Kamen says, “We are proud of the time and efforts our Technical Committee has researched, evaluated, and compiled the scientific data to remove coconut as a tree nut, as we know coconut is a drupe. The CCA underwrote a paper to assess coconut allergenicity and severity with the data findings, which were the basis of the FDA’s review and final assessment. This change from the USFDA will now allow coconut to be processed in more food manufacturing facilities, opening the door for the use of coconut across a larger spectrum of products, not to be listed as an allergen. This is a great win for the entire coconut industry, from the farmers to the end consumer.”
Founded in 2017, the Coconut Coalition of the Americas (CCA) was established to combat negative perceptions surrounding coconut products and to engage actively in the FDA’s labeling guidelines process to ensure fair and accurate classification. Comprised of suppliers, processors, brand owners, and retail and service companies, the coalition seeks to present a unified voice for the coconut industry and to promote equitable conditions for coconut products within the American market.
Learn more about CCA and its role in the latest FDA guidance here: https://coconutcoalition.org/
COCONUT COALITION OF THE AMERICAS’ EFFORTS PAY OFF: COCONUT NOT A MAJOR FOOD ALLERGEN IN LATEST FDA GUIDANCE
