Friday, November 18, 2022

Food and Dietary Supplement Labeling Workshop March 5-6. 2024, Orlando, Florida

The Institute for Food Laws and Regulations (IFLR) presents a food and dietary supplement labeling workshop on March 5–6, 2024, at the Hilton DoubleTree Suites, Disney Springs, Lake Buena Vista (Orlando), Florida. 

What you will gain: 

  • Insight into the FDA’s labeling regulations, policies, and enforcement priorities  
  • Clarity regarding new and proposed rules and how to ensure compliance  
  • Become more efficient in designing and reviewing labels 
  • Bring this knowledge home to increase your team’s overall knowledge

For more information, visit www.iflr.msu.edu/labeling 

Need some support asking your supervisor to attend the Food and Dietary Supplement Labeling Workshop? We’ve developed this template with helpful talking points about the event and the benefits of your attendance.

Register Early and Save! 

Topics Include 

  • Overview of agencies & laws 
  • Principal display panels 
  • Naming products 
  • Information panels 
  • Food allergens 
  • Overview of USDA-FSIS labeling requirements 
  • Nutrition Facts 
  • Nutrient content claims 
  • Health claims and health-related claims 
  • Scientific substantiation of claims 
  • Credence claims and conditional claims 
  • FDA perspective, food labeling activities 
  • Practical applications 
  • Current issues, latest updates, and hot topics

Hotel & Disney Ticket Information 

The Hilton DoubleTree Resort is an official Disney Hotel within walking distance of Disney Springs. A small number of rooms have been reserved at our negotiated room rate US that includes a parking discount, waived resort fee, and a free shuttle to Disney Theme Parks. Evening, half-day, and discount tickets to Disney theme parks are available for purchase through the DoubleTree. Learn more here.

Contact Andrea Besley, abesley@msu.edu Tel: 517–884–0608 www.iflr.msu.edu/labeling 

Tuesday, April 19, 2022

The new edition of Food Regulation: Law, Science, Policy, and Practice has been published

The third edition of Food Regulation: Law, Science, Policy, and Practice has been published. The book presents an appetizing menu of all key aspects of United States food regulation.  Incomparably comprehensive yet remaining accessible to all readers, the text connects legal theory to practical application. The third edition is fully updated to reflect significant changes in US food law. 



For more information, visit: www.foodregulation.us 

Thursday, April 29, 2021

Course on Regulatory Leadership in Food Law

 Neal Fortin enhances the course on Regulatory Leadership to add an emphasis on practical skills and knowledge. This course helps you hone your "craft" as a regulatory professional, and goes into detail about how to effectively present regulatory information, work with government officials, FDA enforcement, recalls, risk and crisis management, quality control/management, litigation strategies, and more. Read the course outline here. This course will be offered once/year in the fall semester.

Friday, March 29, 2019

New Online Course: Food Regulation in China


Online Graduate Course:
Food Laws and Regulations in China

Updated curriculum for summer 2019

 

NEW RANGE
OF TOPICS
NEW TEAM OF INSTRUCTORS

CLASS RUNS MAY 13 - AUGUST 15, 2019

Enroll Now
This course is designed to provide students with an overview of various aspects of food law in China. Taught with an IFLR lead instructor along with various China food law experts from around the world, this redesigned course has been updated to reflect the latest laws and regulations and touches on emerging issues.

Topics include: cultural, socio-economic differences compared to other countries/regions; organization of China's food laws, delegation of risk assessment and risk management roles and responsibilities in the Government of China; cross border and e-commerce issues; food labeling and claims permitted; novel food approval; genetic modification and; food additives and contaminants. Hot topics such as food safety, food fraud, and import-exportissues such as tariffs and liabilities toward consumers will also be addressed.

This course will include various weekly readings, lectures, assignments, discussions with experts, and three quizzes. There will not be a final exam.

Learn more at www.iflr.msu.edu.
Contact iflr@msu.edu for assistance.

Copyright © 2019 Institute for Food Laws and Regulations, All rights reserved.

Our mailing address is:
Institute for Food Laws and Regulations
474 S Shaw Lane, Suite 3385
Michigan State University
East LansingMI  48824

Add us to your address book

Tuesday, December 11, 2018

New Online Course: Global Regulation of Food Contact Substances and Packaging


The course starts in January 2019.  More information is available at 

Wednesday, January 04, 2017

Give us our chicken but hold the antibiotics



By Abhijit Ghosh

In a time of national division, Americans remain unified on their love for chicken. As the No. 1 source of protein consumed by Americans, chicken commanded $90 billion in 2016 consumer spending.

The use of antibiotics in feed and agricultural water began in the 1950s. While pharmaceuticals and chicken farmers have harvested financial windfalls and cost savings respectively, consumers are facing an emerging public health crisis. Behind the curtain of murky marketing, uncooked chicken may have elements of bacterial resistance rising from the industry’s unchecked antibiotic usage. By changing their spending habits and demanding state legislation, consumers are reshaping industry practice.

In 1950, American Cyanamid, a pharmaceutical, stumbled on to a finding where the use of Aureomycin, an antibiotic, played a key role in fattening chicken. Word spread across the industry and the use of antibiotics to spike livestock feed and agricultural water mushroomed. While farmers have been able to fatten birds quickly, pharmaceuticals have been fattening their wallets. According to Consumers Reports, 80 percent of antibiotics sold today are used for meat and poultry production. Of the 27 million pounds of antibiotics sold in 2014, livestock operations used 20 million.

Public health crisis
The purpose of antibiotics is clear: to kill potentially harmful bacteria. Repeated use and overuse trigger bacteria to mutate in order to gain resistance to the effects of any particular antibiotic. With their large enclosed spaces, chicken farms provide the perfect nidus for antibiotic resistance. Under the FDA’s blind eye, those bacteria-infested chicken then follow supply chain to grocery stores and kitchen counters. According to the CDC, 23,000 people die from microbes resistant to antibiotics. The Institute of Medicine concluded in a 1988 report that “a link can be demonstrated between the use of antibiotics in food animals, the development of resistant microorganisms in those animals, and the zoonotic spread of pathogens to humans.”

FDA
The FDA’s mission is to protect the public’s health and keep the food system secure. Under the FDA’s Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act (21 U.S.C. Sects. 301-399f), the FDA must approve a new animal drug before it goes to market. Following the 1950 finding and rapid application, the poultry industry quickly obtained FDA approval. To this day, the approval stands. Due to aggressive lobbying of pharmaceutical and chicken farmers, Congress has been successful in creating only voluntary requirements to curtail antibiotic usage for growth purposes, while maintaining an exception for medicinal usage in chicken farms.

Litigation
Nonprofit advocacy organizations including the National Resource Defense Council (NRDC) attempted to push the FDA into action by going into litigation focused on 21 U.S.C. § 360b(e)(1). Prior to issuing the voluntary guidelines, the FDA called for hearings regarding the public health crisis but never held the hearings. NRDC argued that the cited rule above compelled the FDA to actually hold the hearings. On appeal, the Second Circuit sided with the FDA’s decision not to withdraw the approval.

States
In 2014, tests from Consumer Reports revealed that 97 percent of chicken breasts available for sale at grocery stores nationwide contained bacteria that are potentially harmful for human consumption. Such jarring statistics compelled consumers to demand changes at the state level. Of the eight states that had proposed legislation to curtail antibiotics usage in chicken farms only California passed a law, which will take effect Jan. 1, 2018.

Industry
Perdue has begun to change its business practice. Perdue showed that it was feasible to maintain production while completely phasing out antibiotics. Motivated by stagnant sales, fast food restaurants such as McDonald’s, Chick-Fil-A, and Subway issued statements that they will stop serving chicken processed with antibiotics.

Conclusion
With the movement towards healthier eating, Americans’ love for chicken will only grow. Today, however, consumers don’t want just any chicken, they want antibiotic-free chicken. Consumers are driving the demand for antibiotic free chicken. Fast food companies are listening and encouraging chicken farms to do the same. There is a false assumption that chicken grown without antibiotics would be cost prohibitive. As evidenced by its increasing market share, Perdue has taken the lead showing it is indeed possible to meet consumer demands without using antibiotics. The question is will other chicken farmers follow suit?

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