In This Week’s Edition: FDA: An Update on Sesame Allergen Labeling on Food Packages Earlier this year sesame was added as the ninth major food allergen when the Food Allergy Safety, Treatment, Education, and Research Act became effective on Jan. 1, 2023. This means that sesame is now required to be listed on food labels…
In This Week’s Edition: FDA Guidance Priorities CFSAN and OFPR released an updated list of draft and final guidance topics that are a priority for the FDA Foods Program to complete during 2023. The list updates the guidance agenda released in February 2023 and focuses on foods for infants and children including action levels on heavy metals.…
In This Week’s Edition: FDA Provides Update on Proposal for Unified Human Foods Program FDA is providing an update on its proposal to create a unified Human Foods Program, which includes a new model for the Office of Regulatory Affairs. These additions to the FDA Commissioner’s proposal announced earlier this year will further enhance coordination,…
In This Week’s Edition: FSIS Best Practices for Controlling Retail Deli Listeria The FSIS guideline provides information on steps that retailers can take to prevent certain ready-to-eat foods that are prepared or sliced in retail delicatessens (delis) and consumed in the home, such as deli meats and deli salads, from becoming contaminated with Listeria monocytogenes. This guideline…
In This Week’s Edition: FDA on Apple Juice Arsenic; Guidance Availability FDA announced the availability of a final guidance for industry entitled “Action Level for Inorganic Arsenic in Apple Juice.” The final guidance identifies for industry the action level of 10 parts per billion for inorganic arsenic in apple juice, issued in draft by the agency in…
In This Week’s Edition: FSIS U.S. Country of Origin Labeling Proposed Rule Under the proposed rule, two specific voluntary U.S.-origin label claims, “Product of USA” and “Made in the USA”, would be generically approved for use on single ingredient, FSIS-regulated products derived from animals born, raised, slaughtered, and processed in the United States. The two claims…
In This Week’s Edition: FDA Allergen Compliance Policy Guide The compliance guide is available here and addresses cross contact issues among other things. The draft guidance, when finalized, will replace existing guidance for FDA staff on FDA’s enforcement policy regarding major food allergen labeling. IFT Report Recommends Collaboration and Innovation to Advance Food Traceability The Institute of…
In This Week’s Edition: FSIS RTE Poultry Guidelines FSIS announced the availability of a guidance document for manufacturing ready-to-eat, shelf-stable, fermented, salt-cured, and dried meat and poultry products that do not use cooking as the primary lethality step. FSIS is seeking public comment on the guideline until July 5, 2023. The agency will host two webinars—May 15,…
In This Week’s Edition: USDA Low Carbon Beef Claim Petition The Environmental Working Group has petitioned FSIS to: USDA Announces Finalists for Twelve New USDA Regional Food Business Centers USDA announced the creation of 12 new USDA Regional Food Business Centers that will provide national coverage coordination, technical assistance, and capacity building intended to help farmers, ranchers, and other…
In This Week’s Edition: FDA on Online Grocery Labeling FDA is requesting information on food labeling in online grocery platforms. The purpose of this request is to obtain current information on the content, format, and accuracy of food label information that is presented to consumers through online grocery shopping platforms. FDA intends to use the information submitted in response to…