“Use By” Dates Becoming Uniform
“Use By” dates are becoming uniform, with nine in 10 grocery store products now printing consumer-friendly labels. By 2020, all products will carry the more simplified date. The industrywide initiative aims to stop confusion over product expiration dates by standardizing wording on all products. The 10 date-label categories are now paired down to two – “Best If Used By” or “Use By.” Surveys found “when in doubt, throw it out” causes massive food waste in America, partly because of unclear food labeling. Over 90 percent of Americans throw out food because of a misunderstood label. Americans waste 133 billion pounds of food a year, a third of the U.S. food supply.
Read more (Supermarket News)
- Published in Business
Is the “Dry” Label Abused? Cider Association Creates Universal Dryness Scale
The U.S. Association of Cider Makers is creating a universal dryness scale, a number that can be put on labels to designate whether the cider is dry, semi-dry, semisweet or sweet. As ciders experience a revival in the U.S., the No. 1 issue is customers assuming all ciders are too sweet. Many feel this was the downfall of the popular Riesling wine movement of the late 2000s/early 2010s. The scale could be applied to all fermented beverages, where dryness factors could be tested in a lab.
Read more (Washington Post)
Gov Reconsiders “Health” Label on American Foods
Ever wondered how the government defines “healthy” on American food labels? The FDA is taking comments until today on their nutrition innovation strategy. The FDA plans to modernize what goes on an American food label, like should plant-based dairy alternatives be called milk? And how should new food technology that reduces sodium or fat content be labeled?
Read more (FDA) (Photo: Foodies Feed)
- Published in Business
Pickle Juice Sports Drink Receives USDA Organic Certification
The Pickle Juice received its USDA organic certification, big news for the only trademarked pickle juice sports beverage. The bottled drink also recently earned its OU Kosher Certification. A healthier alternative than traditional sports drinks, The Pickle Juice has no artificial flavoring or preservatives, and contains 14 times the electrolytes found in an average sports drink. Perfect for athletes, scientific research shows that pickle juice relieves muscle cramps in 60 seconds.
Read more (BevNet)
- Published in Business
The Regulations to Obtain FDA “Certified Organic” Label Pushes Out Smaller Food Producers
The FDA “Certified Organic” label is a double-edged sword for many food producers. The coveted certification is great marketing to consumers, but it’s a regulation nightmare to obtain. Bread bakers who use these smaller, local ag businesses for their ingredients must sell non-organic bread. Because of it, notes Milling & Baking News, the industry is dominated by big-name producers.
Read more (Baking & Snack)
- Published in Business