#food-regulation

#food-regulation

California's "Real Food, Healthy Kids Act" represents the first law in the U.S. to define and ban ultraprocessed foods (UPFs) from public school lunches. As reported by CNN, the bill requires scientists and public health experts to determine which ingredients and additives are most damaging to children's health. These "foods of concern" will then be systematically phased out of school meal programs that serve over 1 billion lunches annually.

There were stricter rules completely banning the sale of some margarine in Wisconsin that were repealed in 1967, but there is still a law on the books that makes it illegal for restaurants to give customers margarine unless they specifically ask for it. Margarine may also not be served as a substitute for butter at state institutions. That means schools, prisons, and state-owned hospitals can't give you margarine unless it's deemed medically necessary by a doctor.

The UK-wide ban stops food and drinks high in fat, salt and sugar (HFSS) being advertised on TV before 21:00 and at any time online. It applies to products considered to be the biggest drivers of childhood obesity, including soft drinks, chocolates and sweets, pizzas and ice creams. The Food and Drink Federation (FDF) said it is committed to helping people eat healthily and has been voluntarily abiding by the new restrictions since October.

The FDA has posted an outline of a proposed rule to require the mandatory submission of Generally Recognized as Safe (GRAS) notices. If finalized, the rule would effectively eliminate self-affirmed GRAS without notification-long criticized for its lack of transparency-by requiring companies to notify the FDA and be listed in a public-facing register. Substances already listed as GRAS by regulation or that have received a "no questions" letter would be exempt.

Pepsi has a new challenge: keeping products like Gatorade and Cheetos vivid and colorful without the artificial dyes that U.S. consumers are increasingly rejecting.PepsiCo, which also makes Doritos, Cap'n Crunch cereal, Funyuns and Mountain Dew, announced in April that it would accelerate a planned shift to using natural colors in its foods and beverages. Around 40% of its U.S. products now contain synthetic dyes, according to the company.

Since its launch in 1961, Coffee Mate has been a fixture in home kitchens, office pantries, and supermarket aisles - the go-to shortcut for a smooth, sweet cup of coffee. For some, it's so woven into the daily ritual that it feels almost synonymous with coffee itself (unless you're a third-wave purist, for whom it symbolizes everything wrong with commercialized coffee culture).

Cultivated meat-meat grown from cells, not from whole animals-isn't yet a widespread option in grocery stores or restaurants. The innovation, which involves growing meat from real animal cells without raising or slaughtering any animals, is still relatively rare. But already, Texas lawmakers have decided to ban it. Now, two cultivated meat companies are fighting back with a federal lawsuit that challenges that ban.