Four months wasn’t long enough for some in the food industry to figure out how they want the FDA to define “healthy” for use on food labels, so the agency has extended the comment deadline
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Board nixes use of carrageenan in organic food production
The National Organic Standards Board has voted 10-3, with one abstention, to remove carrageenan from the list of substances approved for use in food items labeled “USDA Organic.” The vote came Thursday afternoon during the
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Cost of traceability negated by legal, marketing benefits
Editor’s note: This is the third piece in a four-part series. The final installment is scheduled to publish Oct. 3. One step forward and one step back might be sufficient in the context of a
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Compromise bill on GMO labeling lands on president’s desk
The Senate compromise bill for labeling food with genetically modified ingredients is on its way to President Obama’s desk after gaining a solid 306-117 bipartisan vote in the House of Representatives early this afternoon. 
Passage
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Public demands what feds suggest: Traceability via food labels
While the Food Safety Modernization Act doesn’t require transparency, it encourages it, but equally important for food manufacturers, consumers are increasingly demanding traceability. “Companies are under pressure from consumers, as trust is the lowest it’s
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Consumer survey shows changing definition of food safety
A recent survey of 5,000 consumers nationwide that asked about food buying decisions showed changing attitudes about food safety. People still want toxin-free and pathogen-free food, but they also want more transparency from food producers
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Ag secretary can’t find common ground for activists, industry on GE/GMO labels
Activists and industry reps sat down twice with Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack to see if they could find a compromise about labeling food processed with genetic engineering. No compromise could be found, and it’s
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Letter From the Editor: A ‘Herculean Accomplishment’
Only two more Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA) rules remain to be finalized. Final rules for Sanitary Transportation and Intentional Adulteration are due out next spring. But with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration’s (FDA)
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New Era for Food Safety: What Companies Must Do
The processed food industry has evolved over the past several decades to keep pace with food safety advances, including the development of HACCP and, more recently, the implementation of GFSI-benchmarked food safety management programs. The
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Vermont GMO-Labeling Law: ‘Harm to Industry’ Issue to be Appealed
A federal trial court judge’s April 27 decision allowing the state of Vermont to proceed with new rules requiring labels for genetically modified food is being appealed to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the
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Food Industry Association Plans to Make GRAS More Transparent
The Grocery Manufacturers Association (GMA) is taking steps to make food additives more transparent. 
The trade organization, representing more than 300 food, beverage and consumer product companies, says their five-part initiative, announced Wednesday, will
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