“A supplier notified us they had unintentionally added an undeclared dairy allergen in the recipe for our Grilled Filets and Grilled Nuggets,” the company said in a statement on the Nutrition and Allergen section of its website. “We are actively working with the supplier so this doesn’t happen again and to ensure the allergen is removed.” The company said it also “took immediate steps to notify guests of this temporary issue.” The online menu description for its Grilled Nuggets now includes a warning that the product contains a dairy allergen. The Kids With Food Allergies Foundation, a nonprofit advocacy group, posted an alert about dairy contamination in Chick-fil-A grilled nuggets and grilled chicken filets on social media on August 23. Milk is 1 of 8 allergens that companies need to clearly identify on food labels under rules set out by the Food Allergen Labeling and Consumer Protection Act of 2004. Other major food allergens covered by this U.S. law include eggs, fish, shellfish, tree nuts, peanuts, wheat, and soybeans. Cow’s milk allergy is the most common food allergy among infants and young children, according to the Food Allergy Research and Education, an advocacy group for people with allergies. About 2 to 3 percent of children under three years old are allergic to milk, according to the American College of Allergy, Asthma, and Immunology (ACAAI). While many children may outgrow this allergy before adulthood, not all of them do. Symptoms can include hives, an upset stomach, vomiting, and bloody stool, according to ACAAI. More rarely, people can have a severe reaction known as anaphylaxis, a potentially life-threatening reaction that impairs breathing. People with milk allergies manage the condition by avoiding milk and other dairy products, including those that contain milk proteins. When symptoms are serious, they may be treated by epinephrine, a form of adrenaline used in EpiPens carried by many people with food allergies. Milk allergies are caused by the immune system’s response to one or more proteins in milk and dairy products, according to the National Institutes of Health (NIH). This isn’t the same as lactose intolerance, which is caused by problems digesting lactose, a naturally occurring sugar in milk. Typically, milk allergies develop in the first year of life, while lactose intolerance usually develops later, the NIH notes. While lactose intolerance can cause distressing digestive symptoms, it won’t cause severe allergic reactions; only milk allergies can cause anaphylaxis.
