Volume
6, Number 4 - April 2005
IN THIS ISSUE:
|
About Food Consulting Company
"You came through with flying colors
delivering my work a few days earlier than
was expected! I am very pleased and
look forward to launching new products in
the very near future. Thank you!"
– Jeffray Gardner, President & CEO
Marsatta Fancy Chocolates
|
Spring greetings to everyone. If you haven't yet
updated your labels to meet the January 1, 2006,
requirements for trans fat and allergen
labeling, now is a good time.
Food Consulting Company is receiving calls daily
regarding the requirements. Some of the most
frequently asked questions are addressed in this
issue of Food Label News.
Expert help to get your labels ready is
available from Food Consulting Company. Go to
www.foodlabels.com |
January 1, 2006-Compliant Food
Labels - Good Until 2008
Since 1996, FDA has announced Uniform Compliance
Dates for final rules that require food label
changes. The Uniform Compliance Dates mean that
food companies do not have to respond separately
to each regulatory change.
FDA set January 1, 2006, as the Uniform
Compliance Date for food labeling regulations
that were issued between January 1, 2003, and
December 31, 2004. Nearly all labels require
revision to include trans fat and specific food
allergen information by this upcoming compliance
date.
Once food labels meet the January 1, 2006,
requirements, labels will be in compliance until
at least January 1, 2008. A March 14, 2005,
Federal Register notice announces January 1,
2008, as the Uniform Compliance Date for
labeling regulations that are issued between
March 14, 2005, and December 31, 2006.
Read Federal Register notice:
http://www.fda.gov/OHRMS/DOCKETS/98fr/05-4956.htm
Commentary: All changes required on food labels
by January 1, 2006, were announced in the
Federal Register and reported by INTOUCH/Food
Label News prior to December 31, 2004. This
means labelers have twelve months to get labels
ready. Many clients have expressed concerns that
labels will require changes right after they are
updated for January 1, 2006, compliance.
Labelers can put these concerns to rest.
Required label changes that are due January 1,
2008, will be announced well in advance and
labelers will have at least a full year to
prepare labels with required changes.
|
Trans
Fat Needed on Nutrition Labels - Even if 0 Grams
By January 1, 2006, nearly all FDA-regulated
foods labeled for sale in the United States must
comply with FDA requirements for trans fat
labeling. The amount of trans fat, even if the
amount is 0, must be declared on the Nutrition
Facts panel.
Products that qualify to bear a "simplified
Nutrition Facts" and that have a 0 value for
total fat are not required to report trans fat.
If a product is exempt from nutritional
labeling, reporting trans fat is not required.
However, products falling into these categories
may still require label revision to comply with
the new allergen labeling law.
See Q&A on January 1, 2006, requirements:
http://www.foodlabels.com/2006.htm
Access FDA documents on trans fat labeling:
www.fda.gov/oc/initiatives/transfat
Order help with trans fat labeling:
https://safeco.net/foodlabels/orders.htm
Commentary: Food Consulting Company clients can
be assured that the Nutrition Facts panels
prepared for them comply with regulations based
on the product type, package size, and
ingredients. Others who are unsure of the
requirements for their label type can order a
Label Compliance Review of their current labels.
Order this service:
https://safeco.net/foodlabels/orders.htm
|
Food Labels Allergen Law
- Voluntary Labeling May Differ
Allergen labeling requirements, as established
by Public Law in November 2003, are mandatory on
nearly all food labels beginning January 1,
2006. Many food labels included voluntary
allergen information prior to establishment of
the law, however the information may not satisfy
the new requirements.
The new law identifies food allergens as milk,
eggs, wheat, soybeans, peanuts, tree nuts, fish,
and shellfish. If a food or an ingredient in a
food contains or has been in contact with any of
these allergens, the product label must indicate
this in plain or common language. This
information can be declared in the Ingredient
Statement or in a separate Allergen Statement.
See Q&A on January 1, 2006, requirements:
http://www.foodlabels.com/2006.htm
Access FDA website for Public Law:
http://www.cfsan.fda.gov/~dms/alrgact.html
Order allergen testing and label help:
https://safeco.net/foodlabels/orders.htm
Commentary: Food Consulting Company clients can
be assured that all ingredient lists and
allergen statements that have been prepared for
them since establishment of the allergen law are
in full compliance with the January 1, 2006,
requirements. Other labelers who have concerns
about allergen reporting on their labels can
request a Label Compliance Review. Order this
service:
https://safeco.net/foodlabels/orders.htm
|
FYI: While
food labels are being updated to comply with
January 1, 2006, requirements, labelers will
want to review Serving Sizes on the
Nutrition Facts panel, since FDA has pledged to
make accurate serving size declarations a
priority. For earlier report, see April 2004
INTOUCH:
http://www.foodlabels.com/newsletter.htm |
Get more from
Food Label News: Send
comments.
Please share this newsletter in its entirety, including subscription and copyright information.
© Food Consulting Company, 2005
13724 Recuerdo Drive, Del Mar, CA 92014 USA
tel 800-793-2844 or 858-793-4658
fax 800-522-3545 or 858-712-3323
www.foodlabels.com |
|