The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is part of the federal Department of Health and Human Services (HHS). Among many other duties, the FDA is responsible for keeping the nation's food supply safe. The Food, Drug and Cosmetic Act of 1938 gave the FDA much of its authority. The act is codified under USC Title 21, Chapter 9. Other significant FDA food laws include: The Fair Packaging and Labeling Act of 1966; Nutrition Labeling and Education Act of 1990; and the Dietary Supplement Health and Education Act of 1994.
Fair Packaging and Labeling Act of 1966
The Fair Packaging and Labeling Act requires labels to state the identify of the product; the name and place of business of the manufacturer, packer, or distributor; and the net quantity of contents. Both metric and English units must be included on the label, but this requirement may change soon to requiring just metric but allowing both. When this law was passed in 1966, Congress was concerned mainly with fraud; in 2010, the concerns are more with safety and health issues.
Nutrition Labeling and Education Act of 1990
The Nutrition Labeling and Education Act of 1990 was a significant shift in focus from fraud concerns to health concerns in terms of food labeling. The passage of this legislation was a major step forward for the American Heart Association in persuading consumers to pay attention to the impact of food consumption on their hearts. This act makes it easier for consumers to choose healthy foods low in saturated fat, cholesterol, and other unhealthy content. The law makes it easier for the public to make healthier choices regarding the foods they eat.
The Dietary Supplement Health and Education Act of 1994
Under this law, dietary supplements are regulated as food items rather than drugs by the FDA. As food items, they do not need prior approval from the FDA before being marketed, as a drug would be. Anyone who wishes to market a "new dietary supplement" must notify the FDA before putting it on the market and provide information indicating that the supplement is safe. There is a 75-day waiting period after filing the information. This gives the FDA time to review the information and determine if there is any reason to believe the item is not safe. After the waiting period, if nothing is found to indicate the supplement is unsafe, the FDA will post information on its website allowing the supplement to be marketed. However, this does not necessarily mean the supplement is safe; consumers still need to use caution with dietary supplements.
Tags: Education 1990, Fair Packaging, Fair Packaging Labeling, Labeling Education, , Nutrition Labeling, Nutrition Labeling Education