NCC comments on FSIS, FDA food date labeling RFI

WASHINGTON — The National Chicken Council (NCC) submitted comments to the US Department of Agriculture’s Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) regarding the agency’s Request for Information (RFI) on food date labeling in partnership with the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA).

In December 2024, FSIS and FDA issued a joint RFI on industry practices and preferences for date labeling, research results on consumer perceptions of date labeling, and any impact date labeling may have on food waste and grocery costs.

NCC was encouraged by FSIS and FDA’s efforts to work in collaboration on this issue so that any changes remain consistent across both agencies.

“A federally led approach to food date labeling is critical to minimizing consumer confusion and the potential for food waste,” said Ashley Peterson, vice president of scientific and regulatory affairs at NCC.

In its comments, the group requested that any updates to labeling requirements be focused on consumer-ready products only.

“Products intended for use in foodservice, hotels, restaurants and institutions, or for further processing should not be subject to any new date labeling requirements, as date codes in these contexts may have specific meanings worked out between the supplier and customer,” Peterson explained.

NCC also requested that companies be given adequate time to utilize all packaging material currently in inventory prior to making the required label changes. As a suggestion, Peterson mentioned a 3-year time frame.

“This time will allow companies to conduct necessary stability testing and update their labels across product portfolios,” she said. “This is important not only from an economic standpoint but to also support the industries and agencies’ shared sustainability goals.

“Notably, supply chain storages experienced by the industry during COVID-19 prompted NCC member companies to stock extra packing materials. As such, industry should be afforded adequate time to implement any necessary changes and avoid unnecessary disposal of current packaging inventory.”

The RFI was issued in response to the National Strategy for Reducing Food Loss and Waste and Recycling Organics. USDA estimates that the average family of four spends at least $1,500 each year on food that ends up uneaten, and the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) estimates that 66 million tons of wasted food was generated in food retail, foodservice and residential sectors in 2019.

Following the draft of the National Strategy for Reducing Food Loss and Waste and Recycling Organics, FSIS and FDA received over 9,800 comments encouraging an update of the federal date labeling requirements, including standardizing date labeling.

“Minimizing food waste is a priority of the broiler industry, and we believe that clear and consistent date labeling will minimize consumer confusion and, subsequently, aid in minimizing food waste,” Peterson said.