U.S. parents of children with food allergies concerned that General Mills' Cheerios Peanut Butter could harm their children due to cross-contamination or confusion; General Mills spokesperson says company adheres to stringent allergy practices

Nevin Barich

LOS ANGELES , January 12, 2012 (Industry Intelligence) – U.S. parents of children with food allergies are concerned that Multi Grain Cheerios Peanut Butter, manufactured by General Mills Inc., could harm their children, the Washington Post reported on Jan. 9.

The Cheerios Peanut Butter box clearly indicates the contents contained within, but the cereal itself appears very similar to other types of Cheerios. Parents are concerned that small children could easily mistake Cheerios Peanut Butter for another types of Cheerios, which could be harmful to a child with peanut allergies. Parents also expressed concerns about cross-contamination during Cheerios processing.

General Mills spokesperson Melissa Levy said Multi Grain Peanut Butter Cheerios will not cross-contaminate with other types of Cheerios. Levy said that General Mills has the strictest allergy control practices within the industry. She stated that anyone concerned about food allergies should closely read food labels.

The journal Pediatrics published a study last year, which revealed that 5.9 million children in the U.S. suffer from food allergies, and almost 40% of these children have severe allergic
reactions.

The primary source of this article is the Washington Post, Washington, D.C., on Jan. 9, 2012.

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