“V” IS FOR VEGETARIAN: FDA-MANDATED VEGETARIAN FOOD LABELING

Abstract

72 Normal 0 false false false EN-US X-NONE X-NONE /* Style Definitions */ table.MsoNormalTable {mso-style-name:Table Normal; mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0; mso-tstyle-colband-size:0; mso-style-noshow:yes; mso-style-priority:99; mso-style-parent:; mso-padding-alt:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; mso-para-margin:0in; mso-para-margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:10.0pt; font-family:Times New Roman,serif;} As the number of vegetarian consumers grows to over eight million in the United States, the FDA should take responsibility for encouraging manufacturers to fully disclose the sources of their ingredients and the processes under which they were manufactured. Have the wheat crackers that contain no milk or eggs (according to the recognizable ingredients on the ingredients panel) been produced by a machine that is used for butter cookies? Is the coloring source for the gelatin-free snack pudding derived from beetles? The endless options in the grocery store, coupled with the heightened anxiety and digestive upset that can follow from straying from one's vegetarianism, make the FDA's role in planning for and overseeing a vegetarian certification system all the more important. This Article will explore the case for a standardized vegetarian packaged food labeling and certification system designed and implemented by the FDA. Part II presents the current problems with the FDA's laissez faire approach to vegetarian food certification. Part III of the Article addresses the law giving the FDA the authority and duty to ensure that vegetarian consumers are fully informed of food ingredients. Part IV then presents three case studies-kosher certification, bioengineered foods, and food allergens-that could assist the FDA in designing a consumer-friendly approach to vegetarian packaged foods. Finally, Part V outlines a proposal to assist the FDA in addressing this critical monitoring and labeling issue.