The USDA has announced that nutrition labels will be required on meats beginning in January 2012. The Nutrition Facts label will include calories, calories from fat, total fat, saturated fat, cholesterol, sodium, protein, and vitamins. The Federal Register has published the new rules that will apply to 40 of the most common cuts of meat including beef, poultry, pork, and lamb.
Although Nutrition Facts labeling began to be required on many foods in 1993, meat fell under a volntary provision that did not require such labels. The Food Safety and Inspection Service has now made them mandatory, requiring the labels to be either on the meat package itself or available at the point of purchase. Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack says the cost of labeling will be no more than half a penny per pound.
Posted: 1/10/11
