FOR YOUR INFORMATION...............................June 4, 1991


           FEDERAL TRADE COMMISSION STAFF SAY TRUTHFUL
         FAT AND CHOLESTEROL CLAIMS ON MEAT AND POULTRY
         LABELS WILL BOOST CONSUMER NUTRITION EDUCATION
                     AND PRODUCT COMPETITION

     In analyzing proposed regulations governing the labels on
meat and poultry products, staff of the Federal Trade Commission
support the U.S. Department of Agriculture's proposal to adopt
the same definitions for standardized terms, such as "low fat" or
"light," as those recommended by the Food and Drug Administra-
tion.  Having identical definitions will prevent consumer
confusion that could occur if the two food-related agencies --
USDA and FDA -- were to use different definitions for the same
terms.  FTC staff also support the USDA proposal to allow
additional descriptors, such as "lean" or "extra lean," on meat
and poultry labels.
     The comments, written by staff of the FTC's Bureau of
Economics and Bureau of Consumer Protection, were submitted in
response to a USDA request for public comment on its proposed
regulations.  

     USDA regulates the labeling of all meat and poultry products
in interstate commerce.  The proposed regulations are intended to
improve USDA's coordination with the FDA, which regulates the
labeling of all non-meat food products.  

     The provisions of the Nutrition Labeling and Education Act
of 1990, require nutrition labeling for most foods under FDA
jurisdiction.  USDA, through its Food Safety and Inspection
Service, recently announced its intent to propose mandatory 

                            - more -



(USDA Labeling Proposal - 06/04/91)

nutrition labeling regulations for most processed meat and
poultry products and a voluntary labeling program for fresh meat
and poultry products.

     The FTC staff comments on the USDA proposals:  cite USDA
nutrition data showing that there is considerable variation in
the fat and cholesterol content of meat and poultry products; 
suggest that consumers can improve their diets by switching among
such products; observe that the thresholds for "low fat" and "low
cholesterol" in the proposed FDA definitions for non-meat
products are set at a level such that almost no food product
containing meat or poultry would meet the criteria using
reasonable serving sizes; and, suggest that additional terms are
therefore needed to foster competition on fat and cholesterol
content within the meat and poultry category.

     The staff comments recommend also that the USDA reserve the
right to reject use of a standardized term if in context it is
likely to deceive consumers.  For example, a "low fat" claim
might be deceptive if it appears on a serving size that is much
larger than the standard serving size on which the claim is
based.

     Further, according to the FTC staff, adoption of
standardized claims by the USDA should not rule out the use of
other truthful and nonmisleading information on food labels.  The
USDA proposal to develop regulations permitting valid health
claims on meat and poultry products gets a special staff
endorsement -- FTC staff research has found that producers'
truthful health claims measurably help to inform and remind
consumers about important relationships between diet and health. 

     The staff comments also support the proposal that "meal-type
products" -- frozen dinners, pot pies, pizza for one, and similar
food items designed as a meal for one person -- should be
regarded as single units for purposes of nutritional labeling and
health claims.

     Finally, to facilitate international trade and competition,
the FTC staff endorse the USDA proposal to allow producers to
also disclose label information in units of measure other than
ounces and pounds, if required by other countries.  

     These comments represent the views of the staff of the
Bureaus of Consumer Protection and Economics of the Federal Trade
Commission.  They do not necessarily represent the views of the
Commission or any individual Commissioner.                       



(USDA Labeling Proposal -- 06/04/91)


     Copies of the staff comments are available from the FTC's
Public Reference Branch, Room 130, 6th Street and Pennsylvania
Avenue, N.W., Washington, D.C. 20580; 202-326-2222; 
TTY 202-326-2502.

                              # # #

MEDIA CONTACT:  Don Elder, Office of Public Affairs
                202-326-2181

STAFF CONTACT:  Pauline Ippolito, Bureau of Economics
                202-326-3477

(V910015)

(USDAREGS)