Still, hold the import-bashing: Numerous outbreaks in recent years have come from U.S.-produced foods, like spinach grown in California.
Until now, shoppers have had little clue where many everyday foods -- meats, fresh fruits and vegetables, certain nuts -- originate. That's what the so-called COOL law, for country-of-origin labeling, changes.
Those who want to buy local -- or who prefer, say, Chilean grapes and New Zealand lamb -- can more easily exercise their purchasing power. Those worried about lax safety regulations in certain countries can avoid those imports. And the next time tomatoes are suspected of food poisoning, consumers may be able to tell investigators they bought only ones grown in a certain region, speeding the probe.
"We do see it as an important step on the road to a more comprehensive system for tracing food items" during outbreaks, says Caroline Smith DeWaal of the Center for Science in the Public Interest.
"It will be a very good thing because we'll have a lot more information," adds Jean Halloran of Consumers Union. But, "you can still be fooled by the COOL label."
How? There are bunches of exceptions. Fresh strawberries get a label but not chocolate-covered ones. Raw peanuts? Label. Roasted ones? No label. Those popular pre-washed salad mixes? Sometimes.
Here are some common questions as shoppers navigate the change:
-
Q: What does the new law require?
A: That retailers notify customers of the country of origin -- including the U.S. -- of raw beef, veal, lamb, pork, chicken, goat, wild and farm-raised fish and shellfish, fresh or frozen fruits and vegetables, peanuts, pecans, macadamia nuts and whole ginseng. (The aim was big agricultural commodities; ginseng was added for fear of imports masquerading as U.S.-grown.)
Q: Where will I see the country of origin?
A: Anywhere it fits. The rubber band around asparagus; the
plastic wrap on ground beef; the little sticker that says "Gala"
on an apple. If a food isn't normally sold in any packaging -- such
as a bin of fresh green beans or mushrooms -- then the store must
post a sign.
Q: Aren't many foods already labeled?
A: Some fresh produce already uses origin labeling as
advertising. "Fresh from Florida" or "Jersey Grown" or
"Vidalia Onion" tags don't have to be changed under the new
rules; the shopper should realize they're all U.S. products.
The COOL law mandating such labels first passed in 2002, but lobbying by grocery stores and large meatpackers led Congress to delay the U.S. Department of Agriculture from implementing it. Seafood labeling was phased in first, in 2005 -- a key change given recurring safety problems with fish and shellfish from certain countries, including China.
Q: What's the biggest exception?
A: The labels aren't for processed foods, meaning no label if
the food is cooked, or an ingredient in a bigger dish or otherwise
substantially changed. So plain raw chicken must be labeled but not
breaded chicken tenders. Raw pork chops are labeled, but not ham or
bacon. Fresh or frozen peas get labeled, but not canned peas. Raw
shelled pecans, but not a trail mix.
Q: What if the foods are merely mixed together?
A: They're exempt, too. So cantaloupe slices from Guatemala get
labeled. Mix in some Florida watermelon chunks, and no label.
Frozen peas, labeled. Frozen peas and carrots, no label. As for
bagged salads, USDA considers iceberg and Romaine to be just
lettuce, so that bag gets a label. Add some radicchio? No label.
Q: Must all stores comply?
A: No. Meat and seafood sold in butcher shops and fish markets
are exempt.
Q: What if companies buy food from various places -- beef from
both U.S. and Mexican ranchers, for instance?
A: That's a bone of contention between large U.S. meat producers
and smaller ranchers that produce exclusively U.S. animals. Tyson
Fresh Meats, for instance, says it's too expensive to separate
which of its cattle came from which country. So in a July letter to
customers, Tyson said it would label all beef "Product of the
U.S., Canada or Mexico." The National Farmers Union is protesting;
USDA is considering the complaints.
Q: Aren't country labels on some processed foods?
A: Yes, tariff regulations have long required that a food put
into consumer-ready packaging abroad be labeled as an import; that
doesn't apply to bulk ingredients.
Q: When does the change take effect?
A: The law goes into effect Tuesday, although USDA won't begin
fining laggards until spring. Violations can bring a $1,000
penalty.
Slideshow archive | ABC13 wireless | Help solve crimes
