What are traces of crustaceans doing in a cheese made in the Pyrenees?

Reading and understanding the labels of the food we want to buy is basic to knowing what we are eating. I have seen elderly people using a large magnifying glass to read them by enlarging the small print. Let's do it however we want, but let's do it. The other day, a friend told me that he had bought a Cadí cheese, DOP Urgèlia, which is semi-cured and with a washed rind, very good, and he sent me the image of the labeling. It indicated the origin of the milk, which is from the State. The ingredients: pasteurized cow's milk, salt, lactic ferments, stabilizer (calcium chloride) and rennet. On the rind there is a preservative, E-235 (an antifungal). And, attention, in the list of allergens, the labeling indicated that it could contain gluten, egg, sulfites, soy, nuts, celery, mustard, fish and crustaceans. And my friend asked me: "Why can a cheese from the Pyrenees contain traces of fish and crustaceans?"

Based on the question, I made two inquiries. The first, to the cheese factory itself, at Cadí, to whom I sent the photograph of the ingredients, and the second, to a retired producer. And with all the information they gave me, I am making the explanations that you will read below.

Point-of-sale manipulation

Traces of fish and shellfish can be found in cheese because the supermarket deli that sells it has handled it. The piece was received whole, but at the establishment, they cut it into pieces and packaged them. Then, since they sell many other foods there, the ingredients of which can remain in the air (such as gluten) or in other traceability processes that are difficult to control (such as knives), they indicate the traces of allergens on the labeling.

Thus, "the labeling indication refers to the handling conditions of the deli, where different product references are packaged and handled". For this reason, and "as a preventive measure against possible cross-contamination during handling, the supermarket indicates the possible presence of allergens", explain those from the Cadí cheese factory.

For his part, a retired producer pointed out that, with the label, the deli is taking precautions in case someone has an allergy to the indicated foods: "The deli is getting ahead of it to avoid possible claims because a small amount of allergen can trigger an anaphylactic shock". And he explained: "Since they package the cheeses in a clean room where there could be remains of other products, they indicate it".

Despite all this, the former producer added a personal opinion, which is that the labeling is "confusing and erroneous beyond the fact that the deli wants to prevent allergens". It also creates confusion, because the consumer does not understand the reason for these allergens in a cheese made in the Pyrenees. Cadí remarks that "the responsibility for packaging and labeling belongs to the shopping center", and perhaps this is the information that should be indicated to the consumer, that the cheese has been handled in the deli and therefore may contain allergens from other ingredients. In a cheese factory, by definition, the ingredients will always be milk, salt, and rennet.