Description
Debra Miller, PhD, National Confectioners Association. Presented at the 2019 conference
In the past year, the US federal as well as many state and local governments and Canada have issued regulations or programs that will affect the confectionery industry. In October, the New York Department of Health announced a program to encourage sugar reductions in packaged foods. The state of California is reviewing food dyes and Canada is finalizing sweeping labeling and nutrition guidance revisions. Meanwhile, FDA has outlined its innovation plan which includes modernizing claims, ingredient labels and standards of identity and will also continue implementation of the revised nutrition facts label and menu/vending labeling. On the food safety side, FDA has issued proposed and final guidance documents on the Food Modernization and Safety Act and plans to improve the timeliness and communication of food recalls. In late December, USDA issued its final rule on the disclosure of bio-engineered (a.k.a. GMO) ingredients. The rule outlines definitions, thresholds, exemptions and provides four mechanisms for disclosure and rules for record-keeping with a final compliance date of for all foods entering commerce of January 1, 2022. This talk will address the latest updates on these topics and more.
