000416 U.S. Bill Seeks Nutrition Labels On Fresh MeatApril 8, 2000Washington - Nutrition labels would be required on packages of fresh meat and poultry under a bill introduced by a dozen mostly Democratic House lawmakers. The legislation, sponsored by Representative Nita Lowey, a New York Democrat, would force grocers or meat companies to adopt the same kinds of labels that are already used on most other packaged foods. Processed meats such as hot dogs, burritos and corned beef were required to add the labels in 1993. The US Agriculture Department currently has a voluntary nutrition labeling system for raw meat and poultry, but relatively few companies display the information on charts in their meat departments, Lowey said. “The signs and brochures are hard to find in the store, remain difficult to read and are not in a standardized format, and simply don't provide consumers with the information they need to make a wise choice,” she said. The bill is supported by the Center for Science in the Public Interest, which said nutrition labels are long overdue for raw meat and poultry. “Red meat is one of the biggest sources of artery-clogging saturated fat and should bear nutrition facts labels,” said Michael Jacobson, executive director of the consumer group. The consumer group surveyed 20 large US grocery chains last year, finding that Safeway, Winn-Dixie and a handful of others offer the nutrition information. But other major chains such as Costco, Sam's Club, A&P and Giant do not, the group said. The legislation was co-sponsored by 11 other Democrats and Republican Mark Foley of Florida.
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