ArticleBMC public health2011
Using 'may contain' labelling to inform food choice: a qualitative study of nut allergic consumers.
Article in BMC public health, 2011. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 16 papers.
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Who cites it
16 citing papers in PubMed.
- Update on Tree Nut and Seed Allergies: Prevalence, Clinical Characteristics, Diagnosis, and Management.Allergy, asthma & immunology research · 2025Review
- Accidental allergic reactions to food in adolescents and adults: An overview of the factors involved and implications for prevention.Frontiers in allergy · 2023Article
- hGLUTEN Tool: Measuring Its Social Impact Indicators.International journal of environmental research and public health · 2021Article
- Exploring External Factors Affecting the Intention-Behavior Gap When Trying to Adopt a Sustainable Diet: A Think Aloud Study.Frontiers in nutrition · 2021Article
- Frequentist and Bayesian approaches for food allergen risk assessment: risk outcome and uncertainty comparisons.Scientific reports · 2019Article
- Psychosocial Mediators of Change and Patient Selection Factors in Oral Immunotherapy Trials.Clinical reviews in allergy & immunology · 2018Review
- Review
- Development and preliminary validation of the food intolerance Quality of Life Questionnaire (FIQLQ): Adult Form.Quality of life research : an international journal of quality of life aspects of treatment, care and rehabilitation · 2018Article
- Consumer preferences for food allergen labeling.Allergy, asthma, and clinical immunology : official journal of the Canadian Society of Allergy and Clinical Immunology · 2017Article
- Impaired health-related quality of life in adolescents with allergy to staple foods.Clinical and translational allergy · 2016Article
- Let's talk about health: shoppers' discourse regarding health while food shopping.Public health nutrition · 2015Article
- Precautionary labelling of foods for allergen content: are we ready for a global framework?The World Allergy Organization journal · 2014Review
- Characteristics and purchasing behaviours of food-allergic consumers and those who buy food for them in Great Britain.Clinical and translational allergy · 2013Article
- Beyond labelling: what strategies do nut allergic individuals employ to make food choices? A qualitative study.PloS one · 2013Article
- The strategies that peanut and nut-allergic consumers employ to remain safe when travelling abroad.Clinical and translational allergy · 2012Article
- What factors affect the carriage of epinephrine auto-injectors by teenagers?Clinical and translational allergy · 2012Article
Corrections and comments
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Authors and funding
8 authors.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
backgroundPrecautionary 'may contain' warnings are used to indicate possible allergen contamination. Neither food safety nor foods labelling legislation address this issue. The aim of this study is to understand how peanut and nut allergic adults interpret 'may contain' labelling and how they use this information when purchasing food.
methodsQualitative methods were used to explore both behaviour and attitudes. The behaviour and 'thinking aloud' of 32 participants were recorded during their normal food shop. A semi-structured interview also explored participants' views about 13 potentially problematic packaged foods. Transcribed data from these tasks were analysed to explore the interpretation of 'may contain' labelling and how this influenced food choice decisions.
resultsPeanut and nut allergic individuals adopt a complex range of responses and strategies to interpret 'may contain' labelling. Many claimed such labelling was not credible or desirable; many ignored it whilst some found it helpful and avoided products with all such labelling. Interpretation and consequent decisions were not only based on the detail of the labelling but also on external factors such as the nature of the product, the perceived trustworthiness of the producer and on the previous experience of the nut allergic individual.
conclusions'May contain' labelling was interpreted in the light of judgements about the product, producer and previous personal experience. It is vital that these interpretation strategies are taken into account by those responsible for labelling itself and for the provision of advice to nut allergic individuals. Suggestions to improve labelling and advice to the allergic individual are considered.
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