Regulation and LabelingFood Technology Ch 26

Regulation and Labeling

• The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the United States Dept of Agriculture (USDA) regulate foods and the labeling of foods

• Food labeling provides basic information about the ingredients and nutritional value of food products

Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act • The U.S. Food and Drug

Administration (FDA), operating under the Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act, regulates the labeling for all foods other than meat and poultry

Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act• Meat and Poultry products are

regulated by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) under the federal Meat Inspection Act

Additional Food Laws

• The Federal Meat Inspection Act of 1906 provides mandatory inspection of animals, slaughtering conditions, and meat-processing facilities.

• The Food Safety and Inspection Services (FSIS) of the USDA enforces the act.

Additional Food Laws

• The Federal Poultry Products Inspection Act of 1957 is like the Meat Inspection Act, but applies to poultry and poultry products

• The Federal Trade Commission Act was amended for food in 1938 to protect the public and the food industry against false advertising

Additional Food Laws

• The Infant Health Formula Act of 1980 provides that manufactured formulas contain the known essential nutrients at the correct levels

• The Nutritional Labeling and Education Act of 1990 protects consumers against partial truths, mixed messages, and fraud regarding nutrition information

Quality of Assurance

• Quality of Assurance (QA) requires many diverse technical and analytical skills

• Major functions of the QA dept include:– Compliance with specifications– Test Procedures– Sampling Schedules – Records and Reporting– Troubleshooting – Special Problems

Food Labeling

• Food Labeling for most of food products must have the– Manufacturer's Name and address– Amount of product in the package– The products ingredients

• Ingredients are listed in descending order, based on their weight

• Under current laws, fresh fruit, vegetables, and meat are exempt

Food Labeling

• In 1973 FDA established “nutrition labeling”

• Nutrition labeling is mandatory for those foods that have nutrients added or make a nutritional claim

Food Labeling

• FDA nutrition labels must have the:– Grams of Protein– Grams of Carbohydrate– Fat per serving

New Food Labels

• Food labels offers more complete, useful, and accurate nutrition information

• Purpose was to clear up confusion that had prevailed in previous years

New Food Labels

• Key features of new food labels:– Nutrition for almost all foods– Distinctive, easy to read format– Standardized serving sizes

New Food Labels

• Exemptions:– Food served for immediate

consumption– Ready to eat foods not for immediate

consumption– Food shipped in bulk– Medical foods– Plain coffee and tea