SEPTEMBER 2001
~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~
...INTOUCH...
Monthly Updates on Government Action Affecting Food Labels
September
7, 2001
Brought to you by The Food Consulting Company
Your source for food label help
http://www.foodlabels.com
~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~
Greetings!
We help food importers label foods for entry into the
US
without delay. We can assist you with getting your
products
released from detention, if your labeling is the cause
for such
a delay.
NOW THE NEWS!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
More Food Allergen Labeling News
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
(1) FDA has issued a document for FDA inspectors and
investigators entitled "Guidance on Inspections of
Firms
Producing Food Products Susceptible to Contamination
With Allergenic Ingredients". See document
announcement:
http://www.fda.gov/OHRMS/DOCKETS/98fr/081501d.htm;
read document:
http://www.fda.gov/ora/inspect_ref/igs/allergy_inspection_guide.htm
(2) The International Food Information Council (IFIC)
has
issued a White Paper entitled "Understanding Food
Allergy.
See:
http://ific.org/relatives/17300.PDF (requires
Adobe
Acrobat Reader).
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Guidelines for Use of Nutrition Claims is on Meeting
Agenda
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
On October 12, 2001, USDA and FDA are sponsoring a
public meeting to provide information and receive
comment
on international standards for nutrition and foods.
U.S.
positions will then be drafted for discussion at the
Codex
Committee meeting on November 26-30, 2001, in Berlin,
Germany. Topics include guidelines for vitamin and
mineral
supplements, use of nutrition claims for dietary
fiber, sports
and energy drinks. See meeting notice:
http://www.fda.gov/OHRMS/DOCKETS/98fr/082101co.htm,
scroll to "Food Safety and Inspection Service", and
choose
[TEXT] or [PDF] for the 2nd item (Nutrition and Foods.
. .")
Authors Note: The Codex Alimentarius Commission was
established in 1962 by two United Nations
organizations:
Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) and World
Health
Organization (WHO). Codex is the major international
organization for encouraging fair international trade
in food;
it seeks to ensure that the world's food supply is
sound,
wholesome, free from adulteration, and correctly
labeled.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Dietary Supplement "PER DAY" Labeling
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
FDA requests public comment on a proposal to amend
nutrition labeling regulations for dietary supplements
so that
the quantitative amounts and % Daily Values may be
voluntarily presented on a 'per day' basis in addition
to the
required 'per serving' basis. Comments due by October
15.
Read notice:
http://www.fda.gov/OHRMS/DOCKETS/98fr/081401a.htm
~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~
FYI Tip: Food manufacturers are beginning to include
label
claims regarding bioengineering of their products.
The
Center for Science in the Public Interest (CSPI) has
asked
FDA to take enforcement action against seven food manu-
facturers whose product labels violate FDA's *draft*
guidance
about labeling foods for bioengineering. For FDA
guidance:
http://www.cfsan.fda.gov/~dms/biolabgu.html.
Read CSPI letter:
http://www.cspinet.org/biotech/enforce.html
© Food Consulting Company, 2001. |