March 2024



Dear Christina,

Welcome to March's Label Alert! In this month's headlines: Congress considers an alternative meat labeling bill, Illinois considers banning five food additives, meatpacker JBS is sued by New York over misleading climate claims, and more ...

This month, register for all four days of the Food Label Conference and save $400!

Now, get caught up on the latest industry news from Label Alert.

Alternative Meat Labeling Bill Introduced in House and Senate

On January 30, 2024, the Fair and Accurate Ingredient Representation on Labels Act (“FAIR Act“) was introduced in the House and Senate. The FAIR Act calls for new labeling requirements for cell-cultured meat and plant-based meat alternative (PBMA) products, including use of terms like “imitation” and “cell-cultured” on labels.

Read on...

Illinois Proposes to Ban Five Food Additives

Introduced by Sen. Willie Preston, D-Chicago, the Illinois Food Safety Act (SB 2637) would ban brominated vegetable oil, potassium bromate, propylparaben, red dye No.3 and titanium dioxide from retail food products -- potentially making it the strictest food additive ban in the country next to California’s Food Safety Act, which excluded titanium dioxide.

Read on ...

New York Sues Meatpacking Giant JBS Over Climate Claims

JBS, the world's largest beef producer, was sued ... by New York state's attorney general, which accused it of misleading the public about its impact on the environment in order to boost sales.

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FDA Approves First Medication to Help Reduce Allergic Reactions to Multiple Foods After Accidental Exposure

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration approved Xolair (omalizumab) injection for immunoglobulin E-mediated food allergy in certain adults and children 1 year or older for the reduction of allergic reactions (Type I), including reducing the risk of anaphylaxis, that may occur with accidental exposure to one or more foods.

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Preparing for the USDA Strengthening Organic Enforcement Rule’s Implementation

Developed to fortify the integrity of USDA organic products, the USDA Strengthening Organic Enforcement (SOE) Rule goes into effect on March 19, 2024. From manufacturers to retailers, businesses across the supply chain must adjust their procedures and practices to comply with the updated rule.

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Ultra-Processed Food Exposure and Adverse Health Outcomes: Umbrella Review of Epidemiological Meta-Analyses

A newly released data analysis shows greater exposure to ultra-processed food was associated with a higher risk of adverse health outcomes, especially cardiometabolic, common mental disorder, and mortality outcomes. These findings provide a rationale to develop and evaluate the effectiveness of using population based and public health measures to target and reduce dietary exposure to ultra-processed foods for improved human health. 

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