I took a Speech class last quarter.  My final presentation was to be  a "problem-solution" speech.  I chose a topic that I am compassionate about. I also had great visual aids. At the end of my Speech I felt like I did my job as Asher's mama. People asked a lot of questions and I heard "I had no idea.....etc"  a lot.  I would like to share it with you. It has some alarming facts. 

Shannon Mueller

Public Speaking

June 8^th, 2011

Introduction

Hook:  More than 12 million Americans have food allergies.  Three million of those are

children.  According to CDC.gov, food allergies lead to 300,000 ER visits, 2,000

hospitalizations, and 150 deaths per year.   There is no cure for food allergies.  Strict avoidance

of food allergens and early recognition and management of allergic reactions to foods are

important measures to prevent serious health consequences. Even trace amounts of a food

allergen can cause a reaction.  Most people who’ve had an allergic reaction to something they ate

thought that it was safe.  Food allergies are life-altering for everyone involved and require

constant vigilance. Some people react to foods by simply touching them.  Food allergies can

cause a life-threatening reaction called anaphylaxis.* This causes, hives, a severe drop in blood

pressure, and suffocation by  swelling of the throat.  * Early administration of epinephrine

(adrenaline) is crucial to successfully treating anaphylactic reactions.

Need:  People with food allergies, like my son, need all the help they can get when it comes

to staying safe and free from anaphylactic reactions.  Food is everywhere.  Rarely is a place

considered safe.  Food allergy sufferers rely on food manufacturers to list the top eight allergens

in their packaged foods.  The top eight allergens are dairy, eggs, peanuts, tree-nuts, wheat, soy,

fish and shellfish.  My son is allergic to all of these except fish.  As you can imagine,

feeding him can be very nerve-racking. He is so allergic that we can’t even have his allergens in

our home.  I rely on in-depth label reading when I buy foods for our family. According to

FDA.gov, the “Food Allergen Labeling and Consumer Protection Act” was passed in 2004.

This requires that labels must clearly identify to top 8 food allergens in foods. This does NOT

however require manufacturers to list if a food MAY have come into contact with allergens.

This is called cross contamination.  Often times different foods are made in the same facility

as major food allergens and cross contamination is VERY likely. * To those with severe food

allergies, this is a BIG deal.  It only takes a trace amount of an allergen to trigger a reaction in

my son and so many others.  In a review of foods of randomly selected manufacturers, the FDA

found that 25 percent of sampled foods failed to list eggs or nuts as a potential allergens.  These

trace amounts of eggs and nuts can KILL someone with a severe allergy to them.  

Satisfaction:  There is a solution to this problem. The FDA needs to be convinced that this

is a need.  The FDA needs to pass this law that requires food manufacturers to list ALL potential

food allergens in foods, whether a part of the ingredients or inadvertently introduced to the food.

Visualization:  Imagine you have severe food allergies.  Imagine you’re trying a new cracker               

that should be safe, when suddenly you break out into hives and your throat closes up. Imagine

being the mother of a young child and being terrified to ever feed your child unless you

made it in your own kitchen.  Imagine rushing a loved one to the ER to save their life from

eating an undisclosed allergen that could easily be listed with a little additional ink. 

Conclusion:  Therefore we have seen that there is a need for a law to be passed to require that

all allergens are disclosed on foods.

In summary, I would like to remind you that a person doesn’t have to eat a whole peanut or drink

a whole glass of milk to suffer from a severe reaction. It only takes a speck.  People with food

allergies have the right to know if foods are made in the same facility as the top 8 allergens.

Action:  I would urge you to sign the petition at the back of the room. Getting this law passed

can and will save many lives.