Specific Topics and Categories

Adding Novel Ingredients to Conventional Foods | Biotechnology | BSE (Mad Cow Disease) | Eggs/Shell Eggs | Food Allergens | Food Irradiation | Gluten-Free | "Fresh" | Juice | Labeling of Foods Needing Refrigeration | Trans Fatty Acids | Food Standards (White Chocolate, Yogurt)

Adding Novel Ingredients to Conventional Foods

• Concerns About Botanicals and Other Novel Ingredients in Conventional Foods (FDA Letter to Industry, FDA Talk Paper, warning letters)

Biotechnology

• FDA Announces Proposal and Draft Guidance for Food Developed Through Biotechnology. January 17, 2001
  • Draft Guidance for Industry: Voluntary Labeling Indicating Whether Foods Have or Have Not Been Developed Using Bioengineering. January 17, 2001
• Proposed Rules Issued for Bioengineered Foods March-April 2001
• Are Bioengineered Foods Safe? January-February 2000
• Report on Consumer Focus Groups on Biotechnology (labeling) October 20, 2000
• For other important information on Biotechnology (1992-present, includes: announcements, presentations, consumer information, regulations and guidance)

BSE (Mad Cow Disease)

• FDA: Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy (BSE) (Includes background, consumer information, FDA Action Plan, industry information, latest actions)

Eggs/Shell Eggs

• Final Rule -- Food Labeling, Safe Handling Statements, Labeling of Shell Eggs; Refrigeration of Shell Eggs Held for Retail Distribution. December 5, 2000
  • Food labeling: Safe Handling Statements, Labeling of Shell Eggs; Refrigeration of Shell Eggs Held for Retail Distribution. Guidance Document. July 2001
  • FDA Finalizes Safe Handling Labels and Refrigeration Requirements for Marketing Shell Eggs. November 30, 2000
  • Egg Safety Action Plan
• Safer Eggs: Laying the Groundwork January 1999
• Egg Safety. (National Food Safety Programs)

Food Allergens

• Information about Food Allergens (1994-present, includes: announcements, Federal Register notices, guidelines, inspection guides, questions and answers, etc.)

Food Irradiation

• Food Irradiation: Implementation of Section 10809 of the Farm Security and Rural Investment act of 2002. Notice of Availability -- Guidance on the Petition Process to Request Approval of Labeling for Foods That Have Been Treated By Irradiation October 7, 2002.
  • Guidance for Industry: Implementation of Section 10809 of the Farm Security and Investment Act of 2002, Pub. L. No. 107-171, § 10809 (2002) regarding the Petition Process to Request Approval of Labeling for Foods that Have Been Treated by Irradiation. (available in PDF)
• Irradiation in the Production, Processing, and Handling of Food. Advanced Notice of Proposed Rule Making, February 17, 1999
  • Irradiation in the Production, Processing, and Handling of Food Proposed Rule - April 4, 2007
• Other Information on Food Irradiation: Background For Consumers
  • Food Irradiation: A Safe Measure FDA Brochure. January, 2000
  • Food Irradiation: The Treatment of Foods with Ionizing Radiation. June/July 1998
• Is food irradiation safe? FDA/CFSAN - Food Irradiation Question and Answer
• FDA Broadens Use of Packaging Materials for Irradiation of Prepackaged Foods. Food Safety Initiative Constituent Update. Febuary 16, 2001

"Fresh"

• "Dear Colleague" Letter About Reopening the Comment Period on Use of the Term "Fresh" on Food Labels August 31, 2000
• "Dear Colleague" Letter on the July 21, 2000 Public Meeting About Use of the Term "Fresh" on Food Labels
  • Transcript of Meeting - July 21, 2000
• Specific Requirements for Descriptive Claims That Are Neither Nutrient Content Claims nor Health Claims: "Fresh," "freshly frozen," "fresh frozen," "frozen fresh." 21 CFR 101.95

Gluten-Free

• Proposed Rule: Gluten-Free Labeling of Foods January 23, 2007
  • Questions and Answers on the Gluten-Free Labeling Proposed Rule January 23, 2007
• Food Labeling; Gluten-Free Labeling of Foods; Public Meeting; Request for Comments July 19, 2005
  • Transcript of Public Meeting on Gluten-Free Labeling on August 19, 2005
  • Eratta Sheet for Transcript

Juice

• Final Rule -- Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Point (HAACP); Procedures for the Safe and Sanitary Processing and Importing of Juice January 19, 2001
  • FDA Publishes Final Rule To Increase Safety of Fruit and Vegetable Juices. January 18, 2001
  • The Juice HAACP Regulation: Questions & Answers August 31, 2001 (includes labeling questions)
• Final Rule--Labeling of Juice Products; Warning and Notice Statement July 8, 1998
  • Small Entity Compliance Guide. September 18, 1998
  • Fresh Citrus Juice Manufacturers Can Ask for Extra Time before Warning Labels are Required October 23, 1998
    • Citrus Firms That Have Filed Agreements with FDA Extending the Compliance Date for the Warning Statement Requirement Complete list of firms as of January 8, 1999
• Highlights of FDA Food Safety Efforts: Fruit Juice, Mercury in Fish. March-April 2001
• More information on Fruit and Vegetable Juices (National Food Safety Programs)

Labeling of Foods Needing Refrigeration

• Guidance on Labeling of Foods that Need Refrigeration by Consumers. February 24, 1997

Trans Fatty Acids

• Trans Fatty Acids in Nutrition Labeling, Nutrient Content Claims, and Health Claims Final Rule July 11, 2003
  • Information for Consumers: Trans Fat Now Listed With Saturated Fat and Cholesterol on the Nutrition Facts Label (also available in Spanish) March 3, 2004 January 1, 2006
  • Guidance for Industry - Food Labeling: Trans Fatty Acids in Nutrition Labeling, Nutrient Content Claims, and Health Claims. Small Entity Compliance Guide August 20, 2003
  • Questions and Answers about Trans Fat Nutrition Labeling March 3, 2003 January 1, 2006
  • Examples of Revised Nutrition Facts Panel Listing Trans Fat July 9, 2003
  • Trans Fatty Acids in Nutrition Labeling: Consumer Research to Consider Nutrient Content and Health Claims and Possible Footnote or Disclosure Statements Federal Register Advance Notice of Proposed Rulemaking July 11, 2003
    • Comment Period re-opened March 1, 2004
    • Comment Period extended April 19, 2004
• Additional Background Information on Trans Fatty Acids

Food Standards

• Food Standards: Proposed Rule -- Food Standards; General Principles and Food Standards Modernization May 20, 2005
• Cheeses and Related Cheese Products: Proposed Rule - Use of Ultrafiltered Milk October 19, 2005
• Frozen Desserts and Parmesan Cheese: Advance Notice of Proposed Rulemaking - Standards of Identity for Frozen Desserts and Parmesan Cheese September 27, 2005
• White Chocolate: Final Rule -- White Chocolate; Establishment of a Standard of Identity October 4, 2002
• Yogurt: Proposed Rule -- Milk and Cream Products and Yogurt Products; Petition to Revoke Standards for Lowfat Yogurt and Nonfat Yogurt and to Amend Standards for Yogurt and Cultured Milk. July 3, 2003