The U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO) has announced new food safety recommendations for managing the risk of arsenic in rice and efforts to reduce pathogens in meat and poultry products. Following a request to review issues related to arsenic in rice, GAO determined that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has not updated its risk assessment of the human health effects in two years and was unable to provide a timeline for either an update or final draft guidance. GAO has recommended that FDA develop such timelines, work with other agencies to coordinate risk assessments and work with the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) to develop methods to detect contaminants in food. GAO also reviewed USDA’s approach to reduction of pathogens in meat and poultry, finding the agency has failed to develop standards for some products—including turkey breasts and pork chops—and has not fully documented its process for deciding…
Category Archives U.S. Government and Regulatory Agencies
The Good Food Institute (GFI), with a group of plant-based and “clean” meat companies, has sent a letter to the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) responding to a petition filed by the U.S. Cattlemen’s Association requesting that the agency restrict the definitions of “beef” and “meat” to products derived from live animals. GFI argues that USDA cannot grant the petition because the agency lacks authority over plant-based products, which are governed by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. USDA is “authorized only to regulate meat labels to protect the health and welfare of consumers, not to prop up an industry or favor one production method over another,” the group asserts. In addition, the group argues that plant-based or clean meat product labels that “clearly and accurately disclose the nature of the product” do not violate the labeling requirements of the Food, Drug and Cosmetic Act or the Federal Meat Inspection…
The U.S. House of Representatives' Agriculture Committee has introduced the Agriculture and Nutrition Act of 2018 (Farm Bill). The bill includes provisions on farm policy, regulatory reform, animal health and specialty and organic crops. According to the committee's highlights, "One of the most consistent complaints policymakers hear from farmers and ranchers is about burdensome regulations. The farm bill streamlines and reduces regulatory burdens. For example, the bill includes commonsense reforms to the onerous and conflicting Endangered Species Act (ESA) consultation process regarding pesticide registration activities to ensure agricultural producers have access to the safest and most efficient modern crop protection tools." The bill would also establish a National Animal Disease Preparedness and Response Program, modeled on "the highly successful Plant Pest and Disease Management and Disaster Prevention Program."
The Office of Trade and Foreign Agricultural Affairs of the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) will host a public meeting on May 31, 2018, to provide information about the agenda items and U.S. positions for the meeting of the Executive Committee of the Codex Alimentarius Commission to be held in Rome, Italy, on July 2-6, 2018. Public comments may be submitted before the meeting.
The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has proposed multiple amendments to the National Poultry Improvement Plan, including changes to committee participation and testing procedures for avian influenza, typhoid and other diseases. Public comments will be accepted through May 9, 2018.
The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has announced the renewal of 17 substances for the National List of Allowed and Prohibited Substances, which determines which synthetic substances can be used in organic farming. Included on the list is carrageenan; USDA found that “potential substitutes do not adequately replicate the functions of carrageenan across the broad scope of use.” The National Organic Standards Board previously recommended that carrageenan be removed from the National List, determining that materials such as guar gum and xanthan gum were available for use as alternative thickening and emulsifying agents.
The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has released Animal Disease Traceability: Summary of Program Reviews and Proposed Directions from State-Federal Working Group, an overview report of the Animal Disease Traceability Program (ADT) that includes a summary of stakeholder feedback and preliminary recommendations to improve the program. According to the report, an internal review of ADT by USDA's Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) in 2015 concluded that the program was well-managed, had clearly defined goals and objectives, and had achieved “incremental improvements” in tracing capability. In 2017, APHIS established a State-Federal Working Group pursuant to the Federal Advisory Committee Act to help review ADT regulations, seek public comment on the program and offer proposals for improvements. The conclusions of the working group are published in the April report. Several of the recommendations are related to electronic ID (EID) of cattle, including pursuing the standardization of technology and ear tagging,…
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has announced a public advisory committee meeting of the Science Board, which advises the agency on complex scientific and technical issues and emerging issues within the scientific community. Written submissions on issues pending before the committee will be accepted until April 18, 2018, for the April 23 meeting.
In a speech at the National Food Policy Conference in Washington, D.C., U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) Commissioner Scott Gottlieb reportedly summarized the agency’s plans, including (i) defining “healthy” for use with a food-labeling icon, (ii) implementing delayed updates to nutrition labels, and (iii) creating a strategy for reduction in salt consumption. Gottlieb reportedly said FDA will explore possible changes to nutrient-content claims. “People eat foods, not nutrients,” he is quoted as saying. “This is why we’re asking the important question of whether a modernized definition of ‘healthy’ should go beyond nutrients to better reflect dietary patterns and food groups, like whole grains, lowfat dairy, fruits and vegetables and healthy oils.” FDA will also propose short-term, voluntary targets for salt and sodium reduction from the current average daily intake of 3,400 milligrams to no more than 3,000 milligrams. “There remains no single more effective public health action related to…
U.S. Rep. Rosa DeLauro (D-Conn.) has sent a letter asking the U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO) to examine the regulatory framework for cell-cultured food products. According to the letter, such food products include lab-grown meat and “animal-free” milk that can be produced from fermented yeast and proteins in cow’s milk. DeLauro requested a “comprehensive review” of the unique challenges in safety oversight, the regulations and labeling requirements that may already exist, and a determination on whether federal agencies have begun preparing for the product’s commercialization. “While not yet commercially available, the potential introduction of this new type of product into the nation’s food supply and economy raises many important questions,” DeLauro said in the letter. “To date, it remains unclear exactly how cell-cultured food products should be regulated . . . More information is needed for Congress to address this emerging sector in the United States and to ensure it…
