A well-known idiom attributed to Benjamin Franklin states, “An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.” This provides an apt analogy for the importance of proper nutrition for disease prevention in modern times. Consumers are often advised to modify their diets to prevent the progression of serious diseases. Moreover, the importance of understanding the evolving food labeling regulations cannot be underestimated for food companies seeking to prevent food product recalls and other enforcement activities related to labeling errors. Continue Reading
The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) recently announced an extension of the menu labeling compliance date to May 7, 2018. Restaurant and food service establishments with 20 or more locations now have additional time to make nutrition information available to customers. This includes updating menu boards and menus to include calorie information, as well as having complete nutrition information available to customers in their establishments. Continue Reading
All natural. Gluten free. Low in fat. Organic. Peanut free. The number of claims available for use to describe a food seems endless, so how does a manufacturer or producer know which words they can and cannot use? Taking one quick trip down the grocery aisle bombards a consumer with confusing label call-outs, outrageous marketing promises and countless newly innovative products.
The food and beverage market is a multi-million dollar industry that just keeps growing, providing consumers with access to trendy or niche foods they have never heard of before. The fast-paced world of food research and new product introductions may even leave some consumers questioning how true some of these claims are on new products with their fancy marketing call-outs and implied promises of renewed health and energy. Continue Reading
After a flood of food regulations during President Obama’s administration, the food regulatory environment in the United States could experience a drought in new regulations due to the deregulatory philosophy of the Trump administration and the U.S. Congress.
In April, President Trump signed an executive order with the objective of eliminating unnecessary “regulatory burdens” for the agricultural sector. Earlier this year, the U.S. House passed legislation (H.R. 5), referred to as the “filthy food act” by opponents, which would impede the development of new food regulations. The U.S. Senate is expected to vote on the bill later this month. Continue Reading
Did you know federal health authorities have estimated 44% of the sodium consumed by Americans comes from only 10 types of food? According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the diet of 90% of Americans exceeds the recommended dietary sodium level for optimal public health. The high sodium levels found in many processed foods have triggered calls for food companies to reduce the salt content of food products; however, eliminating this valuable additive from food products can be a complex process. Continue Reading
The United States and Canada have both made significant changes to their nutrition labels in the past year. In response, food manufacturers are dusting off each product’s Certificate of Analysis (COA) to create new nutrition labels in order to comply with updated regulations. But food manufacturers should consider how old their nutrient data is before using it to create a new label. Before sending those new labels to print, check to make sure your nutrient values are still usable. Continue Reading
What is a “healthy” food? Should a “healthy” food contain specific levels of vitamins and minerals? Conversely, should a “healthy” food limit potentially harmful components such as saturated fat, cholesterol, sugar or sodium? Questions surrounding the definition of a “healthy” labeling claim have surged in recent years due to the rising consumer demand for nutritious foods. Continue Reading
On the regulatory front, 2016 presented many challenges for the North American food industry. While the year featured the initial implementation of FSMA regulations and passage of the GMO labeling law, the North American food industry was also confronted by a slew of regulatory changes related to food labeling.
Last year, the food industry monitored the development of several potentially significant regulatory initiatives with upcoming compliance dates, including the revision of the FDA Nutrition Facts Panel (July 26, 2018), menu labeling for restaurants (May 5, 2017) and the withdrawal of the GRAS status of PHOs (June 18, 2018). Continue Reading