1	Nutrition Labeling of Fresh Meat Meat Industry Research Conference October 17, 2001 Eric Hentges National Pork Board
2	Current Events National Nutrition Summit - May 30, 2000 President Clinton announces he has asked USDA to require nutrition labeling on retail fresh meats and poultry.
3	Current Events (continued) Federal Register, January 18, 2001 - Proposed Rule “Nutrition Labeling of Ground or Chopped Meat and Poultry Products and Single-Ingredient Products.”
4	History-Fresh Meat Nutrition Labeling 1985-86, National Live Stock and Meat Board, Food marketing Institute and American Meat Institute create the “Meat Nutri-Facts” program. 1990, Nutrition Labeling and Education Act (NLEA) published.
5	History-Fresh Meat Nutrition Labeling (cont.) 1993 NLEA enacted requiring mandatory on-package nutrition labeling of processed meats and voluntary point-of-purchase nutrition labeling of fresh meats. 1994 Federal Register Proposed Rule - “%Lean/%Fat” labeling of ground meat. USDA surveys for voluntary participation in fresh meat nutrition labeling. The industry fails the last two audits.
6	Mandatory Nutrition Labeling Summary Require nutrition labeling of the major cuts of single-ingredient, raw meat and poultry products. Nutrition information may be provided either on package label or at point-of-purchase If no nutrition claim, then USDA’s Nutrient Database for Standard References considered compliant.
7	Mandatory Nutrition Labeling Summary (cont.) Data may be declared “as packaged” or “as consumed.” Method of cooking must be specified, but number of servings per container not required. Extend mandatory labeling to single-ingredient ground or chopped products, i.e., individual retail packages would bear nutrition labeling. Ground or chopped product not meeting “low fat” criteria may contain a lean percentage claim as long as the fat percentage is also displayed on the label.
8	Mandatory Nutrition Labeling Summary (cont.) Retailer exemption repealed, but retain a small business exemption from mandatory ground or chopped product labeling. Exemption for multi-ingredient products processed at a retail store.
9	Industry Issues & Implications Ready access and accurate application of nutrition data? Format and printing of POP material? Testing and compliance liabilities and penalties? Contention that all grinders are able to precisely formulate fat content? (Use of trim, rework, “fresh ground” primals?)
10	Industry Issues & Implications (cont.) Cost to convert/upgrade scales to print label? Over 3,300 cuts of beef when grade and trim level taken into account. Drive rate of “case-ready” product?
11	Next Steps Comments to the Proposed Rule have been submitted. FSIS is reviewing the comments and will publish a Final Rule. Implementation and compliance date will be set in the Final Rule.
12	Trans Fatty Acids Federal Register, FDA-Proposed Rule, April 17, 2000 “Trans Fatty Acids in Nutrition Labeling, Nutrient Content Claims, and Health Claims” Require nutrition labeling of trans fatty acids. Add trans fatty acids + saturated fatty acids Total saturated fat on Nutrition Facts panel. Rule recognizes uniqueness of trans fatty acids on elevation of serum cholesterol. Agency fails to recognize uniqueness of stearic acid (1/3 of meat saturated fat) as having no affect on serum cholesterol.