The Agriculture Department has approved a label for meat and liquid egg products that includes a claim about the absence of genetically engineered products.<\/p>\n
It is the first time that the department, which regulates meat and poultry processing, has approved a non-G.M.O. label claim, which attests that meat certified by the Non-GMO Project came from animals that never ate feed containing genetically engineered ingredients like corn, soy and alfalfa.<\/p>\n
The U.S.D.A.\u2019s Food Safety Inspection Service \u201callows companies to demonstrate on their labels that they meet a third-party certifying organization\u2019s standards, provided that the third-party organization and the company can show that the claims are truthful, accurate and not misleading,\u201d Cathy Cochran, a U.S.D.A. spokeswoman, said in a statement.<\/p>\n
Ms. Cochran said the approval for labeling meats did not signal \u201cany new policy regarding non-G.E. or non-G.M.O. products.\u201d<\/p>\n
Labeling foods to indicate the absence or presence of genetically engineered ingredients is one of the most contentious issues in the food business today, with about two dozen states mulling labeling requirements and the biotech industry fighting back with intense lobbying. <\/p>\n