Nutrition Labels Now on Packaged Raw Meats
Starting March 1, most packaged raw meats will have nutrition labels either on them or available at the store.
Starting March 1, most packaged raw meats will have nutrition labels either on them or available at the store.
Since 1993, it was optional for meat producers to put the labels on packages, but now the USDA is making it mandatory for supermarkets to have nutritional labels on all ground meat and ground poultry products.
For other popular cuts of meat, stores have the option of adding the label on the packaging or displaying the nutritional content of meats on a poster on full display or on a pamphlet available at the store.
“This is a step in the right direction,” says Natalie Johnstone, a registered dietitian with Rochester General Hospital. “Hopefully, people will start asking more questions and motivate the FDA and people who are supplying these products to give us more information about the foods we eat.”
Johnstone says labels have to be on ground meat products because it’s not always clear what’s in it.
“For example, with ground turkey they can grind up the fat and the skin,” she says. “So you don’t know what cut of meat you're getting. With ground meat you don’t know what they’re grinding it from.”
According to the USDA, small businesses which grind poultry and meat are exempt from this rule as long they give customers information about lean and fat content.
Source: USDA
Since 1993, it was optional for meat producers to put the labels on packages, but now the USDA is making it mandatory for supermarkets to have nutritional labels on all ground meat and ground poultry products.
For other popular cuts of meat, stores have the option of adding the label on the packaging or displaying the nutritional content of meats on a poster on full display or on a pamphlet available at the store.
“This is a step in the right direction,” says Natalie Johnstone, a registered dietitian with Rochester General Hospital. “Hopefully, people will start asking more questions and motivate the FDA and people who are supplying these products to give us more information about the foods we eat.”
Johnstone says labels have to be on ground meat products because it’s not always clear what’s in it.
“For example, with ground turkey they can grind up the fat and the skin,” she says. “So you don’t know what cut of meat you're getting. With ground meat you don’t know what they’re grinding it from.”
According to the USDA, small businesses which grind poultry and meat are exempt from this rule as long they give customers information about lean and fat content.
Source: USDA
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