The U.S. Department of Agriculture is accepting comments on proposed changes to organic standards for livestock and poultry production. Issues addressed in the proposed changes include livestock health care practices, living conditions, transport and slaughter. The many proposed changes include a limit on the types of physical alterations permissible in organic livestock production, such as needle teeth clipping and tail docking in pigs, and the establishment of a distinction between requirements for mammalian living conditions and avian living conditions based on different physiological needs. Comments will be accepted until October 11, 2022.
Category Archives U.S. Government and Regulatory Agencies
The U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO) has issued a report suggesting that federal agencies can better coordinate guidance on healthy eating. The report found that GAO's previous recommendations had not been implemented, including a 2021 recommendation that Congress "consider identifying and directing a federal entity to lead a strategy on diet-related efforts." The agency also recommended in 2017 that the presidential administration develop a strategy for federal food oversight. "We have long reported on the fragmented federal food safety oversight system. We added federal oversight of food safety to our high-risk list in 2007; federal government operations on this list either need broad reform or are vulnerable to fraud, waste, abuse, and mismanagement. We added this issue to the list because of inconsistent oversight, ineffective coordination, and inefficient use of resources. For example, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) had critical information on contaminated eggs that ultimately sickened more than…
The attorneys general of 22 states have submitted a letter to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and Department of Agriculture (USDA) asserting that the agencies "are not sufficiently prioritizing a public health problem long overdue for robust action: children’s exposure to neurotoxic heavy metals (lead, arsenic, cadmium, and mercury) through foods specifically designed and marketed for babies and young children." Led by New York Attorney General Letitia James, the group argues that the existing plan to set limits on heavy metals, the Closer to Zero Plan, has "lengthy and vague timelines, which now extend to mid-2024 and beyond," and is "already behind schedule." "As a result of this and other agency delays, U.S. baby food manufacturers continue to largely self-regulate the amount of lead (and other toxic elements) that is contained within their products. Indeed, it remains up to the manufacturers to decide whether even to test their…
The attorneys general of 21 states have filed a petition for reconsideration for a citizen petition denied May 2, 2022, that urged the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) "to adopt a series of interim guidance measures intended to complement the long-term approach of the Closer to Zero Plan," which aims to reduce the amount of contaminants in baby foods. The attorneys general sought interim guidance to (i) set action levels for inorganic arsenic, lead, cadmium and mercury; (ii) set an action level for inorganic arsenic in infant rice cereal that is lower than the existing action level of 100 parts per billion; and (iii) issue guidance to industry that testing for heavy metals is a "preventive control" manufacturers should perform. The reconsideration petition takes issue with multiple points in the denial, including the argument that FDA did not consider relevant information as to its own authority. The attorneys general…
Politico has published a report on the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) based on more than 50 interviews with current and former employees of the agency, including former FDA commissioners. "There is a remarkable level of consensus that the agency is simply not working," states the report. "Current and former officials and industry professionals used terms like 'ridiculous,' 'impossible,' 'broken,' 'byzantine' and 'a joke' to describe the state of food regulation at FDA." Subjects examined by the investigation include leadership issues within the food division of the agency, a lack of action on foodborne illnesses, the issue of heavy metals in baby food and delays on nutrition targets. Sen. Patty Murray (D-Wash.) sent a letter to Commissioner Robert Califf expressing concern over the findings of Politico's investigation. "This report highlighted several delays in regulatory action that have endangered the public health. Over a decade after the Food Safety Modernization…
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has issued draft guidance on how it will evaluate the public health importance of a food allergen not listed as a major food allergen. Topics in the guidance include (i) scientific factors FDA will consider; (ii) what types of information will be relevant to the labeling and production of food containing the allergen; and (iii) recommendations for identifying and analyzing evidence for the evaluation of a non-listed food allergen.
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has announced that it will conduct quantitative consumer research on the use of "voluntary symbols that could be used in the future to convey the nutrient content claim 'healthy.'" The agency is simultaneously "developing a proposed rule that would update when manufacturers may use the 'healthy' nutrient content claim on food packages." "Updating labeling and making it more accessible helps empower consumers," the constituent update states. "In particular, claims and symbols can help consumers better understand nutrition information and identify foods that contribute to a healthy eating pattern. Manufacturers may also reformulate products to improve their nutritional value so they can use the claim."
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has issued a final rule amending the acceptable qualities of food labeled as yogurt. Under the rule, the standards of identity for lowfat and nonfat yogurt will be combined with the general definition; in addition, the list of allowable ingredients has expanded to include additional substances such as agave. "Additionally, the final rule supports the many innovations that have already been made in the yogurt marketplace, including continuing to allow manufacturers to fortify yogurts, such as adding vitamins A and D, as long as they meet fortification requirements," according to the constituent update. "The rule also allows various styles or textures of yogurt as long as they meet requirements in the standard of identity."
The U.S. Department of Agriculture has announced a public meeting scheduled for April 19, 2022, to discuss U.S. positions for the meeting of the Codex Committee on Contaminants in Foods of the Codex Alimentarius Commission. Issues to be discussed include: "Maximum level for cadmium in cocoa powder (100% total cocoa solids on a dry matter basis)"; "Code of practice for the prevention and reduction of cadmium contamination in cocoa beans"; "Maximum levels for lead in certain food categories"; "Maximum levels for total aflatoxins in certain cereals and cereal-based products including foods for infants and young children"; "Sampling plans and performance criteria for total aflatoxins in certain cereals and cereal-based products including foods for infants and young children"; "Maximum level for total aflatoxins in ready-to-eat peanuts and associated sampling plan"; "Maximum levels for total aflatoxins and ochratoxin A in nutmeg, dried chili and paprika, ginger, pepper and turmeric and associated sampling…
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has issued guidance indicating that it will not enforce particular provisions implementing the Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA). "In certain situations the FDA has determined it is appropriate to take time to consider options, including rulemaking, to address concerns raised by stakeholders, while continuing to protect public health," the constituent update states. "As we work on solutions, the agency does not intend to enforce these provisions as they currently apply to entities or activities addressed in the guidance." Affected rules include: Current Good Manufacturing Practice and Hazard Analysis and Risk-Based Preventive Controls for Human Food; Current Good Manufacturing Practice and Hazard Analysis and Risk-Based Preventive Controls for Animal Food; Foreign Supplier Verification Program; Produce Safety; and Intentional Adulteration.
