Volume 7, Number 9 - September 2006

IN THIS ISSUE:

• Reader Q&A Spot: Lab or Database Analysis

• Helpful Sources for Food Labels Rules

• Fruits, Vegetables, Fish - Voluntary Nutrition Labels

• Food Labels Help for Export to EU

• Service Tip: Voluntary "Best Before" or "Use By" Dates

Dear Readers,

We send Food Label News to keep you informed about food label regulations and to remind you that Food Consulting Company is a ready resource when you need food label help. We know food labeling can be tedious and eat up your valuable time. Call on us to help. See www.foodlabels.com.

Q.  Which is best for getting nutrient values for my product, laboratory or database analysis?  M.H., Start-up Food Company, Colorado

A.  FDA does not require a specific method of analysis for Nutrition Facts, but the Agency does require label values to be accurate within the tolerances specified in the Code of Federal Regulations. Food Consulting Company offers both database and laboratory analysis.  See Reader Q&A Page for additional details.

To submit a question for an upcoming issue, send an email; if chosen, the question will be answered at no charge to you. For a speedy answer to your regulatory question, see Services.

Helpful Sources for Food Labels Rules

Food Consulting Company has compiled a list of some of the company's most frequently used web links for food and nutrition labeling information. Food labelers of FDA-regulated products can find answers to nearly every food labeling question from among the links.

• U.S. Food and Drug Administration - http://www.fda.gov/

• Code of Federal Regulations (Title 21 Food and Drugs, Part 101 Food labeling) - http://www.gpoaccess.gov/cfr/index.html

• A Food Labeling Guide - http://vm.cfsan.fda.gov/~dms/flg-toc.html

• The National Organic Program - http://www.ams.usda.gov/nop/

• Country of Origin Labeling - http://www.ams.usda.gov/cool/

• Federal Register - http://www.gpoaccess.gov/fr/index.html

Commentary: Due to the complexity of finding certain answers that food labelers have, labelers can call on Food Consulting Company for help.

• Full Label Compliance covers all regulated label components for a single product

• Annual Regulatory Support provides guidance for up to 10 food label issues per year

• One-time Regulatory Support provides guidance for a single food label issue

Fruits, Vegetables, Fish - Voluntary Nutrition Labels

In the July 25, 2006, Federal Register, FDA announced the Agency has amended the voluntary nutrition labeling regulations for the 20 most frequently consumed raw fruits, vegetables, and fish in the United States. The amended regulations include updated nutrition labeling values for these foods.

Voluntary labeling refers to point-of-purchase information and is allowed as part of the Nutrition Labeling and Education Act of 1990 as long as there is "substantial compliance" among retailers. Substantial compliance is met when at least 60 percent of retailers sampled in a representative survey provide nutrition labeling information (as specified in the guidelines) for at least 90 percent of the foods they sell that are included on the listing of the most frequently consumed raw fruits, vegetables, and fish. If the compliance level is not met, FDA is required to make this labeling program mandatory.

FDA has posted a list of the foods and their nutrition labeling values on the FDA website. Retailers and other stakeholders may incorporate links from their websites directly to this nutrition information.

Access nutrition labeling values for fruits & vegetables.
Access nutrition labeling values for fish.

Read Federal Register notice.

Food Labels Help for Export to EU

Food Consulting Company announces the company's relationship with a food labeling service that is available to help U.S. food manufacturers prepare food labels for foods to be exported to the European Union. The expertise in the relationship comes from 15 years of work with food law enforcement in the United Kingdom and the European Union. Companies planning to export to the European Union can request labeling help through the Food Consulting Company website.

Service Tip: Voluntary "Best Before" or "Use By" Dates
Food Consulting Company in association with a food technologist can determine "Best Before" or "Use By" dates for voluntary application to your U.S. food labels. See Services. Place Orders.      

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 us an email.

Please share this newsletter in its entirety, including subscription and copyright information.

© 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