We have heard a lot through the news lately of drug shortages, mostly over-the-counter cold and flu medications, but what is the process when prescription drugs are in short supply? The FDA works closely with the pharmaceutical industry and stakeholders to “prevent drug shortages and lessen the impact on patients anytime there is a […]
For consumers, reviewing nutritional labels is commonplace though what to pay attention to has changed over the decades. We often think of these labels as a convenience but in reality, they are a requirement. The FDA reviews and makes changes to the nutrition facts label when needed. The latest updates came in 2016 “to […]
There are a few states that still pay consumers for recycling aluminum and bottles. California, Connecticut, Hawaii, Iowa, Maine, Massachusetts, Michigan, New York, Oregon, and Vermont, though California has found a vast number of unclaimed recyclables— $600,000,000 worth to be exact. So, what is California planning to do with this overabundance of unclaimed funds? They […]
It’s no secret that fast food really isn’t good for you. And if you needed another reason to limit these types of food in your diet, a “first-of-its-kind study” was recently published stating that popular fast foods contained chemicals linked to a long list of serious health problems. “Researchers at the George Washington University and […]
When we look at the food supply chain, we assume that our food is wholesome and safe. We don’t want to think about the toxic food that may be finding its way into our grocery stores and in turn, our homes. While companies may not be able to completely prevent food recalls, there are a […]
For more than 100 years, the premise of the antitrust laws has remained the same: “to protect the process of competition for the benefit of consumers, making sure there are strong incentives for businesses to operate efficiently, keep prices down, and keep quality up.” There are 3 core federal antitrust laws: The Sherman Act, created […]
The FDA is looking to move to a “New Era of Smarter Food Safety” over the next decade. They believe, as foods are reformulated, new food production methods created and the food system is more digitized, the need for new and modified safety methods must also adapt. The FDA has created a Blueprint, with input […]
As online grocery shopping saw increasing popularity during the past year, it provided food retailers the opportunity to “increase transparency efforts that build shopper trust.” View the article from Progressive Grocer. “According to a new report from the Food Industry Association (FMI) and Label Insight, 81% of shoppers say transparency is important or extremely important […]
The FDA established the Unique Identification System (UDI) to identify medical devices sold in the US from the point of manufacturing and distribution all the way to patient use. The UDI final rule requires device labelers to: Include a UDI on device labels and packages, except where the rule provides for an exception or alternative. […]
The purpose of the guidance is to allow food manufacturers to use the name “potassium salt” on food labels as alternative to the common name, “potassium chloride”. This salt alternative is formulated to reduce sodium content. This alternate name also makes it more clear the consumer as to what this item is. This guidance supports […]