Congress passed the Food Allergen Labeling and Consumer Protection Act of 2004 (FALCPA). This law identified eight foods as major food allergens: milk, eggs, fish, Crustacean shellfish, tree nuts, peanuts, wheat, and soybeans.
On April 23, 2021, the Food Allergy Safety, Treatment, Education, and Research (FASTER) Act was signed into law, declaring sesame as the 9th major food allergen recognized by the United States. The change was effective on January 1, 2023.
Source: www.fda.gov
A food allergy is a medical condition in which exposure to a food triggers a harmful immune response. The immune response, called an allergic reaction, occurs because the immune system attacks proteins in the food that are normally harmless. The proteins that trigger the reaction are called allergens. Food allergy is a serious and potentially life-threatening medical condition affecting 33 million Americans. One in every 13 children has a food allergy—that’s about 2 in every U.S. classroom. And every 3 minutes, a food allergy reaction sends someone to the emergency room.
The symptoms of an allergic reaction to food can range from mild (itchy mouth, a few hives) to severe (throat tightening, difficulty breathing).
Anaphylaxis is a serious allergic reaction that is sudden in onset and can cause death.
There is no cure for food allergy. Food allergies are managed by avoiding the problem food(s) and learning to recognize and treat reactions symptoms.
Source: www.foodallergy.org
Cross-contact happens when one food comes into contact with another food and their proteins mix. As a result, each food then contains small amounts of the other food. These amounts are so small that they usually can’t be seen.
Even this tiny amount of food protein has caused reactions in people with food allergies! The term “cross-contact” is fairly new. Some people may call this “cross-contamination.”
Source: www.foodallergy.org
We believe in full transparency. None of the fake or hidden stuff. We do not use any artificial dyes or flavorings. We aim to use simple, fresh ingredients. When we do use processed ingredients, we only use products from companies that are designated free from top 8 allergens and produced in dedicated facilities. Also available at our storefront is a reference guide with each flavor and all its yummy secrets so you don't have to worry about hidden unknowns.
Our ice cream base is made from Chaokoh coconut milk that when produced at a commercial size, is not cross contacted with other allergens. We do want to have full transparency and notice that many factory practices do not align with our morals and values however Chaokoh has addressed your concerns with the statement below.
'Additionally, Theppadungporn Coconut Co., Ltd. (TCC), the manufacturer and distributor of Chaokoh coconut milk, ensures zero monkey labour in its coconut production. Theppadungporn Coconut has signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with local suppliers and farmers in Thailand for monkey-free coconut cultivation. Theppadungporn Coconut has been handing out more than 250,000 dwarf coconut trees to the local farmers since 2010. The dwarf coconut varieties will facilitate harvesting by man and improve good farming practices. Eligible farm inspections are also carried out to verify that the contracted coconut farmers meet Chaokoh's requirements - including zero monkey labour harvesting. Theppadungporn Coconut has also initiated its traceability program, which allows the discerning customers to trace and track the coconut milk products throughout the supply chain.'
Source: www.tcc-chaokoh.com
Coconut classification as a tree nut needs reevaluating.
Source: www.foodbeverageinsider.com
We chose coconut cream because it offers a neutral base that is excellent for accepting all of our amazing flavor creations. Most importantly though while a coconut allergy can exist, it is considered much more rare compared to other options. Now for a brief educational moment...coconut is botanically a drupe - not a nut. "The name comes from the old Portuguese word coco, meaning "head" or "skull", after the three indentations on the coconut shell that resemble facial features."
Source: "Cocos L., Sp. Pl.: 1188 (1753)". World Checklist of Selected Plant Families. Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. 2022. Retrieved May 29, 2022.
“Coconuts are classified as a fibrous one-seeded drupe. A drupe is a fruit with a hard stony covering enclosing the seed (like a peach or olive) and comes from the word drupa meaning overripe olive. A coconut, and all drupes, have three layers: the exocarp (outer layer), the mesocarp (fleshy middle layer), and the endocarp (hard, woody layer that surrounds the seed).”
Source: Library of Congress
Our ice cream machine, freezers, refrigerator and preparation area are free from peanuts, tree nuts
(except coconut), dairy, gluten, eggs, crustacean, fish, and soy.
Our surface cleaning products are free from these allergens including fragrances and dyes.
None of our ice cream recipes or our ice cream machines contain any soy ingredients.
Please see more below about how we can accommodate a soy allergy.
Our facility is free from peanuts, tree nuts (except coconut), dairy, gluten, eggs, crustacean fish, and fish.
Our facility does contain one item that contains soy - JOY brand cake and sugar cones.
To ensure our facility remains free of outside cross contact, we provide a no cost snack station for our employees stocked with items free from these allergens. We also provide a dedicated space outside the facility for our employees to consume any food of their choosing without risk of cross contact with our kitchen. In compliance with food safety regulations, all employees wash their hands upon entering the facility and gloves are worn during all food preparation and service.
We have a protocol established with our employees for a soy allergy customer. If you have a soy allergy, please notify our employee at ordering.
Employee will change gloves and wash hands at designated station.
Employee will put on new gloves and retrieve a “soy free only” ice cream scoop from the designated sanitized box.
Employee will pull a new container from the freezer and scoop flavor into a bowl taken from a designated “soy free only” kit.
*please note not all flavor selections may be available
We recognize that there are countless combinations within the food allergy community and wish we could accommodate all of them. If you have a special concern, please do not hesitate to contact us. We will happily discuss our products and capabilities to do everything we can so that you don't feel excluded with keeping your utmost safety in mind.
Yes. Our sprinkles are not filtered with bone char. Our facility is egg and dairy free. Our kitchen does not prepare or serve meat products. The raw cane sugar we use received Regenerative Organic Certification®, is Non-GMO Project Verified, and is Certified Vegan.
No. Many of the products we use are kosher, but we are not a kosher kitchen.
Come hang out, relax and make a memory! Our back patio may be small, but it's mighty with yard games, a Free Little Library and more. The patio also offers a hand washing station for patrons to use at their convenience because there's nothing food allergy heroes love more than a good, soapy handwashing.