It is well known that the Food Safety and Inspection Service’s (FSIS) primary responsibility is to ensure the safety of our nation’s meat and poultry supply. This does not mean, however, it takes its other responsibilities less seriously, including its responsibility to ensure meat and poultry products are properly labeled and labels do not bear false or misleading information. This became abundantly clear in recent meetings with industry leaders, in which agency officials announced several new labeling initiatives.
First, the agency announced it will soon audit generically approved labels at inspected establishments to verify that they are properly classified as generically approved. Pursuant to FSIS regulations, only labels that bear claims and statements defined by agency regulations and the Food Standards and Labeling Policy Book (excluding natural and negative claims) are deemed generically approved. Labels that bear “special statements or claims” — defined as natural and negative claims and claims that are not defined in FSIS regulations or Food Standards and Labeling Policy Book (e.g., animal production claims, health claims, ingredient and processing method claims, organic claims) — must be submitted to FSIS for evaluation and formal approval. FSIS is concerned that because of marketing efforts to make their products more appealing, establishments are rushing to make new claims and statements without submitting them for the required agency approval.