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USDA OKs Omega 3 labeling on Meat & Poultry Products
Coconut and Sheanut now listed as a "Tree Nut" in Updated Allergen Labeling Guidance
FDA Launches "ALERT": Food Defense and Preparedness
USDA OKs Omega 3 labeling on Meat & Poultry Products
In July of this year, the United States Department of Agriculture published an interim policy statement allowing the factual statement of the amount of Omega 3 Fatty Acids and Omega 6 Fatty Acids in meat products be placed on the label. This may be expresses as the number of milligrams or grams of Omega 3's or Omega 6's per serving. No claims of relative amount, such as "Contains...", "Good Source of..." or of functionality, stated or implied, will be permitted. For more detailed information, Click here to see the FSIS Statement of Interim Labeling Guidance.
Coconut and Sheanut now listed as a "Tree Nut" in Updated Allergen Labeling Guidance
FDA has recently published an updated version of “Questions and Answers Regarding Food Allergens, including the Food Allergen Labeling and Consumer Protection Act of 2004 (Edition 4)”. The additions to this document now specify the specific nuts that are considered “Tree Nuts”, the grains that are considered “Wheat” and clarifies what is meant by “species” of seafood. For those who still have questions about how and what to label, this may be of some assistance. See http://www.cfsan.fda.gov/~dms/alrguid4.html.
New Initiative to Reduce Salmonella in Meat & Poultry
The United States Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Food Safety & Inspection Branch (FSIS) announced on February 23, 2006, a new initiative to reduce the presence of Salmonella in raw meat and poultry products.
This initiative is patterned after the very successful initiative to reduce the presence of E. Coli 0157:H7 in ground beef, which lead to a 40% reduction in human illnesses caused by the pathogen.
Since 2002, FSIS has seen an increase in Salmonella positive samples of broilers. This disturbing trend is one of the reasons for this initiative at this time.
Strasburger & Siegel is prepared to assist companies with Salmonella testing. Volume discounts are available.
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