Food & Nutrition

NASEM to Host Workshop on Use of Meta-Analyses in Developing Nutrition Policy

The National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine (NASEM) Food and Nutrition Board is hosting a virtual three-part workshop series in September and October to discuss the utility of meta-analyses in nutrition research and for developing nutrition policy. The workshops collectively will provide an overview, best practices, and the interpretation and application of meta-analysis used in nutrition for the betterment of health and policy. The first workshop, Planning of Meta-Analysis, will take place on September 19, 2023, with future sessions scheduled for September 25, 2023, and October 3, 2023. 

On a related note, NASEM is hosting a two-day workshop on October 10-11, 2023, to explore the current knowledge and practices related to the application of advanced computation, big data analytics, and high-performance computing to support scientific advances in food and nutrition research.

NASEM to Host Webinar on Defining Sustainability for Food Product Labeling

The NASEM Food Forum is hosting a webinar to examine the challenges of defining sustainability for food product labeling on October 12, 2023, from 10 a.m. - 12 p.m. EST. The webinar will explore the variables for defining sustainability, the impact of sustainability labeling on consumers, challenges for regulatory agencies, and research gaps and future considerations. The workshop’s agenda features speakers from the Federal Trade Commission (FTC), Consumer Reports, and universities such as Tufts University and The Ohio State University. 

NASEM Seeks Nominations for Review of Evidence on Alcohol and Health Study 

NASEM is seeking nominations for experts to participate in its new Food and Nutrition Board study on alcohol and health, in which the committee will undertake a review of the current scientific evidence on the relationship between consumption of alcohol and health outcomes. NASEM is seeking nominations from individuals with experience in the areas of public health nutrition and policy, dietary guidance policy, and health effects of alcohol, among others. The committee will conduct an assessment to determine whether the quality and availability of peer-reviewed published evidence is sufficient to conduct a full systematic review. This study will consider the relationship between 1) alcohol consumption and growth, size, body composition, and risk of overweight and obesity, 2) alcohol consumption and health outcomes, and 3) alcohol consumption during lactation and peri-natal outcomes. The committee intends to publish a report that summarizes the evidence, and will not include dietary guidance statements, recommendations, or advice.

California Bill Amended to Remove Titanium Dioxide from Food Additive List

The California State Assembly bill, AB 418, was amended in the California Senate to remove titanium dioxide from the bill’s list of five food additives that the bill proposes to ban in the state. This bill would prohibit the manufacture, sale, and distribution of food products that contain brominated vegetable oil, potassium bromate, propylparaben, and red dye 3 in California. The bill, if passed, would make California the first state in the U.S. to ban these four additives from the food supply, effective January 1, 2027.

FDA and STOP Foodborne Illness to Host Eighth Webinar on Food Safety Culture 

FDA, in partnership with STOP Foodborne Illness, a non-profit public health organization, are co-hosting the eighth webinar of its ongoing webinar series, Collaborating on Culture in the New Era of Smarter Food Safety, on September 13, 2023. The webinar, “Facing Food Safety Challenges through Culture and Persistence,” will address the importance of a strong food safety culture and how it can help organizations address food safety challenges. The event will feature speakers from FDA, JBS Foods, Cultivate SA, and Chipotle Mexican Grill.

Agriculture

USDA’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service to Host Stakeholder Meeting

USDA's Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service Biotechnology Regulatory Services (BRS) is hosting its annual stakeholder meeting on November 15, 2023. The stakeholder meeting intends to share highlights from fiscal year 2023, key updates for fiscal year 2024, new and revised guides to help navigate regulatory processes, and updates on strategic planning. BRA is requesting feedback on discussion topics for the meeting by October 1, 2023, and plans to issue further meeting details and registration information at a later date.

Global

UK Updates Technical Guidance on Precautionary Allergen Labeling 

The UK Food Standards Agency (FSA) published updates to its food allergen labeling and information technical guidance, including updates to advice on the use of Precautionary Allergen Labeling (PAL). The updated technical guidance is recommending the following changes in relation to how food businesses should use PAL and is advising that food businesses should 1) only apply a PAL if there is an unavoidable risk of allergen cross-contamination which cannot be sufficiently controlled by segregation and cleaning, 2) specify which of the 14 major allergens the PAL refers to, including using “may contain peanuts” rather than a generic “may contain nuts” statement, and 3) use PAL statements in combination with a ‘vegan’ label, clarifying the distinction between a ‘vegan’ claim and a ‘free from’ claim, where a risk of cross-contamination with an allergen has been identified. 

France Publishes Draft Decree to Ban Meat-Related Terms on Plant-Based Foods

France published a draft decree banning the use of meat-related labeling terms on plant-based food products, applicable to products only made and sold in the country. The draft proposal bans 21 meat-related terms used to describe protein-based products, including "steak," "escalope," "spare ribs," "ham," or "butcher," while allowing certain meat-associated terms if they contain limited amounts of plant proteins with percentages ranging between 0.5% and 6%. If passed, the decree will come into force three months after its official publication to allow food operators to comply with these labeling regulations. In June 2021, France became the first country in the EU to attempt to issue a decree banning the use of meat-related terms to describe protein-based products but the decree was since suspended.

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