Labeling: Page 134

Coding, Printing & Labeling

Labeling changes recommended

In a mid-December 2003 report commissioned by the Food and Drug Administration, U.S. Department of Agriculture, and Health Canada, the Institute of Medicine (IOM) called for redoing the Nutrition Facts panel on food labels.

January 31, 2004

Coding, Printing & Labeling

COOL delayed

Country-of-origin labeling requirements were put on hold for two years as lawmakers worked to wrap up a massive spending bill to keep the government in business by the end of the year.

January 31, 2004

Coding, Printing & Labeling

Health claims labeling

FDA issued an advance notice of proposed rule making on how it will regulate qualified health claims. FDA solicited comments on three options. One would codify the current interim procedures and the ranking system based on the amount of scientific evidence.

January 31, 2004

Coding, Printing & Labeling

How low is low with carbs?

Responding to consumers’ heightened interest in consuming fewer carbohydrates, food companies are producing more low-carb foods. Manufacturers are asking FDA to set standards for low-carb foods similar to those for fat content.

January 31, 2004

Coding, Printing & Labeling

Calls for "Alcohol Facts" panel

The Center for Science in the Public Interest and the National Consumers League petitioned the Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau to require uniform “Alcohol Facts” labels on all alcoholic beverage packages.

January 31, 2004

Coding, Printing & Labeling

Terrorism concerns infiltrate packaging

New homeland security program sends packagers scurrying for protective and tracking technologies.

January 31, 2004

Coding, Printing & Labeling

Productivity monitoring

B&H Labeling Systems introduces Productivity Monitoring, an advanced software system available on a range of B&H labelers.

December 31, 2003

Coding, Printing & Labeling

Getting operators to comply with packaging SOPs

What do you do when line operators ignore written standard operating procedures (SOPs), preferring to do it their own way?

December 31, 2003

Coding, Printing & Labeling

Packaging 2004

What a difference a decade makes. When we launched Packaging World in January 1994, the prospects for an economic recovery were strong after a difficult couple of years following the Gulf War.

December 31, 2003

Coding, Printing & Labeling

RFID costs to packagers estimated

The use of Radio-Frequency Identification (RFID) technology, as envisioned by Wal-Mart Stores, is estimated to bring savings to retailers and big capital investment costs to those who supply retailers.

December 31, 2003

Coding, Printing & Labeling

FDA weighs in on obesity

The Food and Drug Administration commissioner Mark McClellan formed the Obesity Working Group to investigate what role FDA can play in fighting obesity.

December 31, 2003

Coding, Printing & Labeling

COOL regs issued

The U.S. Department of Agriculture issued its final regulations on country-of-origin labeling scheduled to take effect in September 2004. Included in the 203-page regulation was a cost/benefit analysis that estimated first year compliance costs at up to $3.9 billion for retailers, wholesalers, and producers with no quantifiable benefits.

December 31, 2003