Have you ever unveiled the mask of the Code of Federal Regulations (CFR)? It can be frightening trying to make your way through these daunting documents. Some of the text is so terrifying - it may seem you need a law degree to decipher it.

Title 21 of the CFR refers to food and drugs, and Part 101 pertains to food labeling. At On The Menu, LLC we take the chill out of the blood curdling regulations laid open before you. If you need guidance up the rickety ladder of food labeling please contact the experts. We will take the “boo” out of this scary story leaving you smiling.

Happy Halloween!

Julie and Rebekah

We often hear confusion over the U.S. Food and Drug Administration’s (FDA) requirement to display the name and place of business of the manufacturer, packer or distributor on packaged food products. Plain and simple, this information is mandatory and the FDA has specific guidelines on how it should be listed.

The name and place of business should be clearly displayed on the Principal Display Panel or the Information Panel.

It is acceptable to list a manufacturer or distributor if the food is not manufactured by the business named on the label. In this case, factual terms such as “Manufactured by” or “Distributed by” should be used.

The place of business must include a street address, city, state and zip code. The street address can only be omitted if the business is listed in the current telephone directory and an interested party can find the business within a reasonable effort. The city, state and zip code must still be present even if the street address is omitted. Post office boxes are not acceptable substitutions for street addresses.

Additional information, such as phone numbers and websites can be included, but are not required.

Please refer to the Code of Federal Regulations, Title 21, Part 101.5 for details or contact On The Menu, LLC.

The Weld County Department of Public Health & Environment is helping Weld County restaurants participate in the State’s Smart Meal Seal initiative (please see last week’s posting, Colorado Takes a Bite Out of Obesity for more information on the Smart Meal Seal). 

So far, three area restaurants are touting their healthier menu choices. Woody’s has a wonderful homemade granola on their menu. Coyote’s has a scrumptious Steak Rojo with black beans and grilled vegetables. And, the Greeley Country Club offers both Chicken Breast with warm peach salsa and Cornmeal Seared Sea Scallops, which are fantastic.

There are several restaurants, including Harvest, waiting in line to begin the analysis process. If you’re a restaurant owner in Weld County and interested in participating in the Smart Meal Seal initiative, you’re in luck. The Weld County Department of Public Health & Environment covers the fee for recipe analysis. Please get in touch with Project Coordinator, Denise Retzlaff, at dretzlaff@co.weld.us for more information.

According to Denise, “Weld County is committed to this program. In fact, we support the program so much we’ve paid up front for 20 more recipe analyses from On The Menu to work with various restaurants. We want the people in our community to know what they’re getting when they eat out. “

Our country’s obesity epidemic is frequently blamed on dining out. Americans spend almost half (44.4%) of their food dollars on foods away-from-home according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics’ 2005 Consumer Expenditure Survey. Often restaurant meals are higher in calories and fat and lower in nutrients than meals eaten at home, so the blame is not completely unfounded.

It looks like the trend of eating out will continue to grow. What can restaurant owners and managers do to better educate their guests about the nutritious selections available on their menu? The Colorado Department of Public Health & Environment has an answer—they’ve established the Smart Meal Seal initiative, part of the Small Steps for Healthy Leaps program. They team up with restaurants to help identify menu items that meet specific nutrition criteria. Once a dish qualifies the restaurant can use the State’s Smart Meal Seal logo on their menu to help customers identify healthier dishes. Consumers eating an identified Smart Meal dish can be assured that it’s a nutritious choice. To earn the seal a dish must be lower in total fat (30 percent or less of total calories), saturated fat and sodium, free of trans fat, 700 calories or less and include components such as beans, whole grains, fruits or vegetables.

The State’s program is picking up speed as food giants like McDonald’s get on board. If your restaurant is interested in participating you can contact Barry Strand with the Colorado Department of Public Health & Environment at Bstrand@cdphe.state.co.usus or 303-692-2574. As the State’s suggested nutrition analyst, On The Menu can determine if your menu items qualify for the seal. We will assist you with recipe modification to guarantee qualification. Your participation in this state-wide program guarantees your restaurant the support and endorsement of the Colorado Department of Public Health & Environment.