Stricter country-of-origin labeling for food takes effect today
No more wondering where your hamburger came from, or where your lettuce and tomatoes were grown: Starting this week, shoppers will see lots more foods labeled with the country of origin.
It's a federal law years in the making but timely, as China's milk scandal and the recent salmonella-tainted Mexican peppers have prompted concern over the safety of imported foods.
Still, hold the import-bashing: Numerous outbreaks in recent years have come from U.S.-produced foods, such as spinach grown in California.
Until now, shoppers have had little clue where many everyday foods -- meats, fresh fruits and vegetables, certain nuts -- originate. That's what the so-called COOL law, for country-of-origin labeling, changes.
Those who want to buy local -- or who prefer, say, Chilean grapes and New Zealand lamb -- can more easily exercise their purchasing power. Those worried about lax safety regulations in certain countries can avoid those imports. And the next time tomatoes are suspected in food poisoning, consumers may be able to tell investigators they bought only ones grown in a certain region, speeding the probe.
"We do see it as an important step on the road to a more comprehensive system for tracing food items" during outbreaks, said Caroline Smith DeWaal of the Center for Science in the Public Interest.
Said Jean Halloran of Consumers Union: "It will be a very good thing because we'll have a lot more information." But "you can still be fooled by the COOL label."
How? There are bunches of exceptions. Fresh strawberries, but not chocolate-covered ones, get a label. Raw peanuts? Label. Roasted ones? No label. Those popular pre-washed salad mixes? Sometimes.
Here are some common questions as shoppers navigate the change:
What does the new law require?
That retailers notify customers of the country of origin -- including the U.S. -- of raw beef, veal, lamb, pork, chicken, goat, wild and farm-raised fish and shellfish, fresh or frozen fruits and vegetables, peanuts, pecans, macadamia nuts and whole ginseng.
Where will I see the labeling?
Anywhere it fits. The rubber band around asparagus; the plastic wrap on ground beef; the little sticker that says "Gala" on an apple. If a food isn't normally sold in packaging -- such as a bin of fresh green beans or mushrooms -- the store must post a sign.
Aren't many foods already labeled?
