For the first time in decades, Food Standards may be under serious scrutiny - at both the FDA and USDA. Challenged by innovations in plant-based and environmentally friendly alternatives to animal husbandry, the US government is starting to reevaluate the regulatory structure and naming conventions for traditional and non-traditional food products.
To this end, the FDA has
recently announced a review
of the labeling of plant-based products (such as "almond milk" and "vegan cheese") that consumers may substitute for dairy foods. The dairy industry has been lobbying the FDA to enforce their current standard definition of milk, limiting it to something that comes from an animal that lactates. The agency is soliciting comment from the public by the end of November 2018.
For industry regulated by USDA,
Roger Johnson, President of the National Farmers Union maintains that cell-based protein replicated in a lab should not be labeled as meat. "Foods produced using animal cell culture technology are not slaughtered, but rather are derived from animal cells grown in a petri dish," he explained. Recently the state of Missouri passed a lawdefining meat as something "derived from harvested production livestock or poultry," and the US Cattlemen's Association has petitioned the USDA to exclude this kind of meat from the standard.
These issues are a direct result of industry responding to increased consumer demand for alternative foods and are putting a stress on decades-old food standards that the government must now look to potentially redefine. It is critical that the food industry understands and weighs in on these discussions given the long-term impact of any subsequent outcome.
At this seminar,
Amaru Sanchez, an Associate at Morgan Lewis in Washington DC, will give his insights into the major drivers and parameters of the food standards debate:
* History of FDA & USDA food standards and their revisions
* Controversies and constituencies of plant-based dairy & protein alternatives
* Advice on submitting public comment to the FDA and USDA
* P
redictions for US agency action
This seminar will also address other developing regulatory issues such as USDA's upcoming Bioengineered Food Labeling law, Prop 65 developments, leading edge claims, and recent class action lawsuits amongst other pivotal labeling trends.
This year, the food industry is being challenged to adjust to multiple compliance initiatives at once, which are upending over two decades of labeling strategy. Consequently, Prime Label has created these Food Label Seminars which serve as a mid-year update to its annual Food Label Conference (FLC). Structured as two one day seminars, conveniently located near Chicago's O'Hare airport, the seminars will mirror the FLC's popular blend of trending topics and practical insights.
