FDA releases allergen, food safety, and plant based labeling guidelines to help industry understand and comply with regulations. The food safety guidelines cover low moisture ready to eat foods. Food Allergens This guidance covers food allergens, including questions and answers about food allergen labeling requirements, the labeling of tree nuts, sesame, milk, eggs, incidental additives, … Read more
The FDA is proposing updates to front of package nutrition labels to help consumers make healthier choices. The rule would require a front-of-package (FOP) nutrition label on most packaged foods. These labels would give consumers more information at a glance. This label is called the “nutrition info box,” and it would complement the longer label … Read more
Most consumers are pretty confused when it comes to the meaning of date labels on foods. For instance, what does “use by” mean? Does that mean the food is unsafe after that date? What does “sell by” mean? So the USDA’s Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) has issued updated information on food product labeling. … Read more
The USDA has released a set of guidelines to help reduce adverse reactions to allergens in food. The 26-page set will help meat, poultry, and processed egg product producers to manage ingredients that trigger allergic reactions. There are eight main food allergens addressed in this country: eggs, fish, soy, tree nuts, milk, peanuts, wheat, and … Read more
Regular readers of this site know that recalls are often issued in Canada for sesame seeds, but those types of recalls are not issued in the U.S. The Center for Science in the Public Interest (CSPI) is asking the FDA to require that sesame be disclosed on food labels in the same manner as the … Read more
Representative Rosa DeLauro (D-CT) wrote to Shaun Donovan, director of the Office of Management and Budget this week, urging him to finalize the new USDA rule on mechanically tenderized beef products. There may be a delay implementing this critical rule if it is not finalized by December 31, 2014. Mechanically tenderized beef has been pierced … Read more
A new bill to label genetically engineered (GE) foods in California was introduced last week into the California senate. The bill is backed by the Center for Food Safety and other food safety and consumer advocates. It’s sponsored by a coalition called Californians for GE Food Labeling. CFS west coast director Rebecca Spector said in … Read more