New Food Labels Will Identify Country of Origin

When next you go grocery shopping you might notice something different on the food labels of your favorite food selections. That's because starting September 30, 2008, the U.S. Department of Agriculture has mandated that a food product's country of origin, or COOL as it's known by, be included on food many labels or store displays.

So what should consumers look for and what does it mean?

According to the USDA www.usda.gov the new rule covers meat products like veal, lamb, chicken, goat and pork. It also includes fresh and frozen vegetables, certain nuts like macadamia nuts and pecans as well as peanuts. Ginseng is also covered. Fish and shellfish have been covered by similar requirements since 2004.

However, if any of the products that fall under the new requirements are part of a processed food item the new labeling requirement won't apply. The definition of "processed" includes products or combinations of products that have undergone frying, broiling, grilling, boiling, steaming, baking, roasting, curing (e.g., salt curing, sugar curing, drying, or smoking), according to the USDA's Agriculture Marketing Service (AMS). The AMS has posted a comprehensive FAQ sheet about the new guidelines at http://www.ams.usda.gov/AMSv1.0/getfile?dDocName=STELPRDC5071922.

Although supermarkets and grocery stores are bound by the new law, other food stores such as fish markets, butcher shops, restaurants or cafeterias are not covered by the new regulations.

Even food made in the U.S. has to be identified. So if a product says "Made in the United States" on the label that means the animal product, for example, was born, raised, and slaughtered in the United States.

The labeling requirement provides that sellers have to use a label, stamp, sign or some other way to inform consumers where the food item originated.