As part of an advance notice of proposed rulemaking, the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food Safety and Inspection Service is seeking comments and information regarding the labeling of meat and poultry products made using cultured cells derived from animals. FSIS will use these comments to inform future regulatory requirements for the labeling of such food products.
“This is an important step forward in ensuring the appropriate labeling of meat and poultry products made using animal cell culture technology,” said USDA deputy under secretary for food safety, Sandra Eskin, in a statement. “We want to hear from stakeholders and will consider their comments as we work on a proposed regulation for labeling these products.”
Other than new labeling regulations concerning this product, FSIS does not intend to issue any other new food safety regulations for the cell-cultured food products under its jurisdiction.
The USDA is requesting comment on specific statutory and regulatory requirements for the labeling of these products, including consumer expectations about the labeling of these products, especially in light of the nutritional composition and organoleptic qualities (taste, color, odor, or texture) of the products; names for these products that would be neither false nor misleading; economic data; and any consumer research related to labeling nomenclature for products made using animal cell culture technology.
Related: USDA Dedicates Funding to Address Food, Nutrition Insecurity; Biden Signs Executive Order Promoting Competition.