The National Milk Producers Federation has filed a petition with the Food & Drug Administration asking the federal agency to crack down on the use of dairy terminology on imitation dairy products. National Milk contends that not only has “soymilk” continued to proliferate, but also other dairy-specific terms like “yogurt,” “cheese,” and “ice cream” are now being used by products made out of a wide variety of non-dairy ingredients.
NMPF’s petition cites examples such as imitation milks made from hemp, rice, almonds, and other plants; yogurts made from soybeans and rice; and cheeses made from soy, rice, and nuts. In some cases, marketers use superficial word changes, such as spelling cheese “c-h-e-e-z-e” in an apparent attempt to skirt the standards of identity regulations.
This is not the first time NMPF has complained about this, back in 2000 they sent a letter asking that the agency make clear to manufacturers that product names permitted by federal standards of identity, including dairy terms such as “milk,” are to be used only on foods actually made from milk from animals like cows, goats, and sheep. The FDA did not act on that petition, so NMPF is again asking for action.
Consumers may submit their own examples of misbranded products using dairy names via the National Milk Producers Federation website.
Latest: 
