Official Summaries

Alpha-gal Allergen Inclusion Act

This bill expands the definition of major food allergen to include galactose-alpha-1,3-galactose (commonly known as alpha-gal). Under current law, food labels generally must identify each major food allergen found in labeled food products. 

(Certain tick bites cause an allergic condition known as alpha-gal syndrome that can result in an allergy to the alpha-gal molecule, which is found in red meat and other products made from mammals.) 

Current Full Text

[Congressional Bills 119th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 1178 Introduced in House (IH)]

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119th CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                H. R. 1178

 To amend the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act to add alpha-gal to 
               the definition of ``major food allergen''.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                           February 10, 2025

Mr. Van Drew (for himself, Mr. Murphy, Mr. Davis of North Carolina, Mr. 
    Balderson, Mr. Carter of Texas, Mr. LaMalfa, Mr. Griffith, Mr. 
Magaziner, Mr. Moore of Alabama, Ms. Norton, Mr. Rulli, Mr. Cline, Mr. 
    Wittman, Mrs. Cherfilus-McCormick, and Mr. Smith of New Jersey) 
 introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on 
                          Energy and Commerce

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
 To amend the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act to add alpha-gal to 
               the definition of ``major food allergen''.

    Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Alpha-gal Allergen Inclusion Act''.

SEC. 2. ADDING ALPHA-GAL TO DEFINITION OF ``MAJOR FOOD ALLERGEN''.

    (a) In General.--Section 201(qq) of the Federal Food, Drug, and 
Cosmetic Act (21 U.S.C. 321(qq)) is amended by adding at the end the 
following:
            ``(3)(A) Galactose-alpha-1,3-galactose (commonly known as 
        `alpha-gal').
            ``(B) For purposes of this subparagraph, the term 
        `galactose-alpha-1,3-galactose' includes--
                    ``(i) ingredients derived from non-catarrhine 
                primate mammals; and
                    ``(ii) red algae in the order Gigartinales.
            ``(C) For purposes of this subparagraph, the term 
        `galactose-alpha-1,3-galactose' does not include mammal-derived 
        ingredients for which the Secretary determines there is no 
        galactose-alpha-1,3-galactose above an established, detectable 
        limit (such as ingredients made from alpha-gal-knockout 
        mammals).''.
    (b) Effective Date.--The amendment made by subsection (a) shall 
apply beginning on the date that is 18 months after the date of 
enactment of this Act.
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