Description
Presenter: Alison Reich Bodor, National Confectioners Association, Chocolate Manufacturers Association
This past year, the U.S. confectionery industry and the National Confectioners Association (NCA) faced many legislative and regulatory challenges. Prior to September 11, NCA focused on child labor, allergens, obesity, transfatty acid labeling, biotechnology and other issues.The events of September 11 quickly halted most of those activities, at least temporarily, as Washington and the world re-evaluated security, including food safety priorities. When the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) released their 2002 priorities in January, food security was listed as chief among them. Yet other issues of concern to the confectionery industry, such as allergens, also remained a high priority for the agency. This article will highlight FDA’s and the confectionery industry’s top food regulatory and policy priorities, including food security, allergens, child labor and obesity, and will also address other topics that continue to affect the industry.
