Mirabel: An integrated project for risk and cost/benefit analysis of peanut allergy

Food allergy is a major public health issue. However, no regulatory measures exist when allergens are
present at trace levels and the different risk components are poorly described. Thus, knowledge on
exposure components such as the allergens present in foods and the consumption behaviour of allergic
consumers and models to estimate the related risk need to be enriched. Mirabel proposes for the first
time studying each risk component using an integrated approach in order to improve the quality of life
of the allergic population. Field surveys were conducted in order to fill in the current gaps in unintentional
allergen traces in food, allergic consumers’ food behaviour, threshold doses of allergic reaction,
allergy symptoms and severity. The aim is also to propose methodological and operational tools to quantify
allergic risk, to test management scenarios and to produce a cost/benefit analysis. Medical data on the
peanut allergies of 785 patients were collected in the MIRABEL survey and 443 patients answered the
food consumption questionnaire. The population surveyed was mostly paediatric – 86% were children
under 16 years of age, with a high percentage of males (60%). This project will generate tangible results
on peanut allergen exposure and risk which could be used in future risk assessment work and particularly
to provide science-based guidance to set up concentration limits for peanut traces on packages.