Food Label News, Government Actions for Food Labels, FDA Regulations, Food Labels, Nutrition Labels
Food Label News ArchiveFood Label News SubscriptionsNutritional Analysis Food Labels - Food Nutrition Facts LabelsFood Consulting Company: Nutrition-Labeling-Regulatory

Volume 7, Number 5 - May 2006

IN THIS ISSUE:

About Food Consulting Company

"I received the labels, thank you very much for your services in helping us to sort out our laboratory data and creating the bilingual Nutrition Facts panels we needed. I'm appreciating your help. We are very satisfied with your company."

– Arlene Dominguez
Industria Lechera of Puerto Rico Indulac

Dear Readers,

With this issue of Food Label News we announce a new reader question/answer feature; if you are a newsletter reader, but not a Food Consulting Company client, this feature will help you get to know us better. If you are a reader and a client, we thank you for choosing Food Consulting Company for your food labeling needs.

Food Label News Adds Reader Q&A

Beginning in June 2006, Food Label News will be expanded to feature an answer to a reader's question. Readers can submit puzzling food labeling questions to the newsletter division of Food Consulting Company. The newsletter staff intends to respond to one question per month as space permits. Submitters of the top three questions during the current calendar year (in terms of value and broad appeal to Food Label News readers) will be acknowledged with a $25 thank you check in January of the following year.

Food Consulting Company is adding this feature to increase the value of Food Label News to all readers, especially to the company's clients, and to showcase the value and quality of personalized help Food Consulting Company is delivering to clients who have purchased an Ongoing Regulatory Support Plan.

What is an Ongoing Regulatory Support Plan?

Commentary: Questions can be submitted for consideration to Food Label News editor.

FDA's Food Labels Accomplishments Reported

On April 10, 2006, FDA's Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition (CFSAN) released its end-of-year report for fiscal year 2005 priority program accomplishments. In part, accomplishments that have already affected food labels for conventional foods are:

  • amendment of regulations on maximum sodium levels and implied nutrient content claim "healthy"

  • initial implementation of Food Allergen Labeling and Consumer Protection Act of 2004, including industry guidance on food allergens and report on establishing thresholds for gluten and major food allergens

Several accomplishments are preliminary steps to possible future final rules that would affect food labels, including:

  • proposed rule on gluten-free food labeling

  • review of social science research on food labeling and weight management

  • advance notice of proposed rulemaking for prominence of calories on food labels

  • advance notice of proposed rulemaking for serving sizes of products that can reasonably be consumed at one eating occasion

  • proposed rule on general principles for standards of identity

See CFSAN report.

More Guidance for Allergens on Food Labels

The Center For Food Safety and Applied Nutrition (CFSAN) has published "Edition 3" of the final guidance relating to food allergen labeling. Edition 3 includes six questions/answers not previously addressed, including clarification that molluscan shellfish (such as oysters, clams, mussels, or scallops) are not considered major food allergens under the food allergen law. The remaining questions relate to retail and food service establishments.

FDA intends to issue subsequent editions of this guidance document.

Read latest guidance.

Commentary: Food Consulting Company sought FDA advice on allergen labeling and molluscan shellfish, and reported the findings in September 2005 Food Label News. See newsletter archive.

Service Tip: Make Legal Glycemic Label Claims
Food companies can work closely with our industry partner who conducts board certified human in vivo clinical research on the Glycemic Index and Load of foods, beverages, nutraceuticals, and pharmaceuticals. This research identifies the blood glucose, diabetic, insulin, and fat-storage properties of any edible product, so that food companies can make legal label claims when promoting their products to consumers. For more information

If your company has a product or service complementary to the services of Food Consulting Company and you would like to talk about featuring it in this newsletter, please send an email by clicking here.

© Food Consulting Company, 2006
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