Alpha-gal Allergen Inclusion Act
Adds alpha-gal to the federal definition of a major food allergen, with specified ingredient sources and a detectable-limit exception.
In the Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee since Sept. 24, 2026, 11 days after it was introduced. Most bills never leave committee.
- INTRODUCEDINTROSEP 24, 2026
- COMMITTEECOMM.IN COMMITTEE
- SENATESENATE—
- HOUSEHOUSE—
- LAWLAW—
What the bill would do, and why it matters
Food-allergen rules define which substances receive major-allergen status under federal law. The bill would add alpha-gal to that definition, specify ingredient sources it covers, and allow an exception for certain ingredients below a detectable limit. The change would take effect 18 months after enactment.
- INTRODUCED ONLY This bill has been introduced and possibly referred to a committee, but it has not passed any vote. Most introduced bills never become law — they die in committee without a hearing.
- DATA NOTE No Congressional Research Service summary was available.
- Adds alpha-gal to major-allergen definition
The bill would add galactose-alpha-1,3-galactose, commonly known as alpha-gal, to the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act’s definition of a major food allergen.
- Includes specified ingredient sources
For this definition, alpha-gal would include ingredients derived from non-catarrhine primate mammals and red algae in the order Gigartinales.
- Exempts ingredients below a detectable limit
Mammal-derived ingredients would be excluded if the Secretary determines they have no alpha-gal above an established detectable limit, such as ingredients made from alpha-gal-knockout mammals.
The practical change is that alpha-gal would be explicitly included in the federal definition of a major food allergen. The bill’s source-specific definitions and detectable-limit exception would also determine which ingredients fall within that change.
Written from the bill text.
The path it took, step by step
- IntroducedSEP 24, 2026SENATESEP 24, 2026By Sen. WarnerReferred to Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions
- SAME DAYNOWSenate committeeSEP 24, 2026HEALTH, EDUCATION, LABOR, & PENSIONS NOWSEP 24, 2026In committee for 11 daysNo hearing yet
- 11 DAYS SO FARPassed the Senate—SENATE FLOOR—Not scheduled
- House committee—HOUSE—
- Passed the House—HOUSE FLOOR—Not scheduled
- Resolve differencesONLY IF NEEDEDBOTH CHAMBERSONLY IF NEEDEDSkipped if the other chamber passes the same text
- Signed into law—PRESIDENT—10 days to sign or veto
- SEP 242026SEP 24, 2026REFERREDRead twice and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions.
- SEP 242026SEP 24, 2026INTRODUCEDSENATEIntroduced in Senate
At day 11, this bill is already older than 3% of the laws passed this Congress were when they were signed.
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