Reviewing the Chinese-Specific Reference Amounts Study Conducted by Sun et al.,2022

The need for region-specific food intake values to accurately estimate food allergen risk is underscored by the recent Ad Hoc Joint Food and Agriculture Organization/World Health Organization(FAO/WHO)Expert Consultation on Risk Assessment of Food Allergens(1).A recent study published by Sun et al.in China CDC Weekly 2022,titled A Chinese-Specific Reference Amounts Study with TNO Food Allergen Risk Assessment Models—China,2022,critically examines and applies a previously established sensitivity analysis aimed at deriving food intake values for food allergen risk assessment(RA)(2–3).In their examination of Chinese food consumption data,the authors find that“the 95th–99th percentiles of the food consumption distribution per eating occasion for condiments and chocolates are the optimal point estimates for use in deterministic allergen RA,aiming to protect 99%of allergic individuals from allergic reactions due to unintended peanut presence.”