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The FDA has extended a public comment period titled “Use of the Names of Dairy Foods in the Labeling of Plant-Based Products.” If you are wondering what that means, I’m positive you’re not alone. I’ll go into the details here. Dairy foods include things like yogurt, milk, cheese, and kefir. Basically anything that is commonly…

Today, I have a guest post by Annabel Hertz, Founder of Goodbuy Sugar, a start-up that navigates the world of low-sugar, low-carb, and sugar-free sweets. She makes recommendations for those reducing their sugar intake and hopes to develop a certification or label for low-carb sweets. She knows a lot about the effects of sugar and how…

My first post on meat gave some background on who regulates meat production and slaughter in the U.S. This one will cover conventional meat production with a focus on CAFOs. I’m sure you’ve heard the controversies over factory farms, so I’ll use this topic as a reminder that I’m not here to tell you what to buy…

The FDA is considering regulatory action on sesame as an allergen and is taking public comments on the subject until December 31st of this year. Here I’ll give you related information in a digestible format so you can write an appropriate comment. For general background, read my post on allergens. The FDA was petitioned to…

I’m sure you’ve seen an allergen statement on the back of a food package. Something that starts with “Contains” or “Made in a facility that processes.” Allergies are widespread and can be fatal, so today I’ll delve into the regulations and labeling requirements for them. First off, what exactly is an allergen? It’s a typically…

A friend of mine requested a post on the meat industry, and I’ve been wondering where to start. There’s just so much! I’d like to begin with the basics of how we regulate and handle meat in the United States. The USDA is charged with regulating traditional meat and poultry, not including wild game. Catfish, processed…

After my first post listed three procedures banned in organic food production, I wrote a full post on radiation, and two on genetic engineering. Now it’s time to dive into biosolids and sewage sludge. As usual, I’ll start with defining terms. Sewage sludge is residue, typically solid, generated during treatment of sewage that does not include…

I wanted to do a recap of the NOSB meeting that took place last week, but I’d rather wait for some more information to be published about it. Look out for a future post on the topic. In the meantime, I’ll delve into two of the most commonly used pesticides in farming, glyphosate and atrazine….

This is the second post covering GMOs. The first one gave background on the subject, while this post will be more in-depth. Lets dive right into the exceptions to USDA regulation that I wrote about in the last post. APHIS has determined that crops do not trigger oversight if they use newer techniques like CRISPR…

In my first post, I listed three procedures banned in organic food production: ionizing radiation, genetic engineering (GE), and sewage sludge. I wrote a full post on radiation, so now I want to dive into genetic engineering. This is going to a be a two-part topic, mostly because I started writing and then I kept…

Have you every noticed that the alcohol you buy doesn’t usually come with an ingredient label? Ever wonder why that is? The way we regulate food and beverages gives an exemption to alcohol, which I’ll detail in this post. Typical food and beverage products you buy at the supermarket are regulated through the FDA and…

Have you ever picked up a box at the grocery store, started reading the ingredient label, and come upon the word spices? I’d be shocked if you haven’t. Well, what does that word mean? According to US Federal Regulations, a spice is: any aromatic vegetable substance in the whole, broken, or ground form except substances which…

This post is a request from my nephew. Hi Muneer! He asked, “What do the expiration dates on packages really mean, and do they have to be followed?” I’ve heard so many people of all ages ask the same question. Let me break it down. The act of putting a date on food is called product…