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Agencies differ on labeling cell-based agricultural products

A USDA official says how to label cell-based foods still needs to be worked out between the USDA and the FDA.  USDA Acting Undersecretary for Food Safety, Carmen Rottenberg, says USDA wants labels that are truthful and not misleading so consumers know what they’re purchasing. “As an agency, we look at things like economic adulteration. Are there fillers in the product?”

She says FDA’s enforcement differs from USDA’s. “They may take enforcement action after the product is in the marketplace. They don’t require that pre-market approval for labels.”

Rottenberg told the recent Ag Outlook Forum USDA regulators want to know if the product will be co-mingled with traditionally-raised products and if consumers will be able to know what they are purchasing.

The FDA and USDA formally announced their plan last week to jointly regulate cell-based food like lab-grown meat products, which are not yet on the market.