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Tag: Labeling

USDA Updates Food Product Dating Fact Sheet

Posted on by Karen Blakeslee
Except for infant formula, product dating is not required by Federal regulations.

To help educate consumers on food product dating, the USDA has updated their fact sheet on this topic.

Links within the fact sheet include information on shelf-stable foods and adding “Freeze By” date information to freeze a food and maintain quality. The commonly used phrases are “Best if Used By/Before”, “Sell By”, “Use By”, and “Freeze By”. The only one that is critical to safety is “Use By” for infant formula. Otherwise, the dates are for best quality.

More information is included on food donation and reducing food waste. This helps food companies donate food that may be misbranded or economically adulterated, but are still safe to consume.

Learn more at https://bit.ly/2X0A9dp.

 

Bioengineered Food Labeling

Posted on by Karen Blakeslee

By January 1, 2022, all retail foods that are bioengineered (BE) or contain bioengineered ingredients, must be labeled with the labels pictured above. This USDA National Bioengineered Food Disclosure Standard is being enforced by the USDA Agricultural Marketing Service.

According to the standard, it states, “Nothing in the disclosure requirements set out in this final rule conveys information about the health, safety, or environmental attributes of BE food as compared to non-BE counterparts. In fact, the regulatory oversight by USDA and other Federal Government agencies ensures that food produced through bioengineering meets all relevant Federal health, safety, and environmental standards.”

This label is a marketing label only. It does not apply to restaurants, other food service establishments, or to very small food manufacturers. It is only for foods that have been modified through in vitro recombinant deoxyribonucleic acid (rDNA) techniques.

https://bit.ly/2S3vqod

Learn more at www.ams.usda.gov/rules-regulations/be

 

Reference to any specific commercial products, process, service, manufacturer, or company does not constitute its endorsement or recommendation. Paid for by Kansas State University