USA – The Food Safety and Inspection Service of the U.S. Department of Agriculture has proposed to remove dual labeling requirements for certain amounts of meat and poultry products.
This involves duplicative net weight and net content requirements for packages that contain certain amounts of meat or poultry products.
The proposed regulation would apply to products that are at least one pound or one pint, but less than four pounds or one gallon.
FSIS is proposing this action after receiving a petition submitted by a small meat processor in response to USDA’s request for ideas to better serve its customers
Under proposed rule, establishments that produce meat and poultry products in packages containing one pound or one pint and less than four pounds or one gallon will be allowed to express the weight or contents in one unit of measurement on the product label, instead of using both measures.
Establishments would be allowed to use their current labels until they run out or may elect to use them indefinitely.
The new proposals seek to amend the law that require packages of meat or poultry products that contain at least one pound or one pint, but less than four pounds or one gallon, to express the net weight or net contents in two different units of measurement on the product label.
The agency notes that it is not necessary for labels of any meat or poultry products to bear dual statements of weight or content, using more than one unit of measurement, to convey the accurate weight or amount of the product to consumers.
Companies would no longer have to keep track of which products need to include a dual or single net weight or content declaration.
FSIS says with the proposed rule; the likelihood of misprinted labels should decrease.
“It’s simply good government to review old regulations to see if they are outdated and burdensome,” said FSIS Administrator Carmen Rottenberg.
“FSIS doesn’t believe that a duplicative labeling requirement helps consumers and sees it as an unnecessary requirement for industry.”
