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Nutritional Labeling for Meat Becomes Mandatory

Thu, 1 Mar 2012 17:21:03 EST

The Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) is now requiring nutritional labeling of major cuts of single-ingredient, raw meat and poultry products. The new regulation includes all ground or chopped products, with or without seasonings. According to CNN, the rule affects 40 percent of the most popular cuts of meat, including chicken breast, steaks, pork chops, roasts, lamb, and veal.
 
In 1993, the Department of Agriculture made nutrition labeling voluntary for many types of raw meats, but now the agency believes mandatory labeling is warranted. The labels would indicate products' total calories, calories from fat, levels of saturated fat, protein, cholesterol, sodium, and iron.
 
If nutrition facts are not on the package, the new rule demands that the nutritional information is displayed on signs or posters in the area where the meat is sold.
 
'EMSL Analytical offers FDA compliant nutritional analysis for labeling needs in its state-of-art food testing laboratory,' states EMSL's National Food Microbiology Supervisor, Joy Dell'Aringa, M.S., R.M. (N.R.M.), C.F.S.P. 'Our nutritional analysis can be performed for virtually any food type, including meat and poultry, and we test for mandatory nutrients, such as protein and iron.
 
EMSL Analytical's nutritional analysis method can be used for:
-          general labeling needs
-          validating manufacturer / supplier nutritional information
-          validating data generated from software-based database analysis
-          testing unique or exotic ingredients or processing techniques
-          analyzing food for animals (pet food and agricultural feeds)
 
For more information on EMSL's food testing services, please contact EMSL at (800) 220-3675, visit www.EMSL.com or www.FoodTestingLab.com, or email info@EMSL.com.
 
About EMSL Analytical, Inc.
EMSL Analytical, Inc. is a full service testing company providing quality lab services under the same private ownership since 1981. Including the corporate lab facility in Cinnaminson, NJ, EMSL Analytical operates over thirty laboratories nationwide in the US and Canada. We provide analytical services for environmental, indoor air quality (IAQ), industrial hygiene, forensics and materials science, consumer products, food safety, PCR, pharmaceutical, asbestos, lead, and radiological samples. The company has an extensive list of accreditations from leading organizations, as well as state and federal regulating bodies. Please see our website for a complete listing of accreditations.