The bill addresses the regulation of cell-cultivated meat in food processing plants, focusing on accurate labeling and preventing misbranding. Here are the key points:
Key Provisions of the Bill:
Labeling Requirement: The bill mandates that food processing plantsclearly label any cell-cultivated meat as such, distinguishing it from conventional meat products. This ensures that consumers are aware they are purchasing cell-cultivated meat, not traditional meat.
Prohibition on Misbranding: The bill prohibits food processing plants from selling or offering cell-cultivated meat that is misbranded as a meat product. This ensures that cell-cultivated meat cannot be marketed under misleading or incorrect labels.
Inspection Authority: The Department of Public Health and Environment (DPHE) is authorized to inspect food processing plants if there is reasonable cause to believe that:
Cell-cultivated meat is being misbranded as a meat product.
Cell-cultivated meat is being sold or offered for sale without the required labeling.
Stop Orders: If the DPHE determines, after an inspection, that misbranding or lack of labeling is occurring, it can issue a stop order. This order halts the sale of the cell-cultivated meat until the department confirms whether the labeling requirements are being met.
Embargo Orders: If it is found that misbranding or failure to label is occurring, the DPHE can issue an embargo order, requiring the food processing plant to dispose of the cell-cultivated meat in a way that prevents its sale to consumers in Colorado.
Legal Enforcement: The DPHE, Attorney General, or District Attorney in the jurisdiction where the violation occurred can petition the district court to enforce stop orders or embargo orders, ensuring compliance with the bill’s provisions.
Rulemaking: The DPHE has the authority to adopt rules to implement the bill, providing further guidance and ensuring the smooth regulation of cell-cultivated meat.
The bill aims to protect consumers from misleading labeling practices and to ensure that cell-cultivated meat is properly identified as such, maintaining transparency and ensuring that food products are clearly labeled and accurately represented.
By requiring clear labeling and inspections, the bill seeks to establish proper regulatory oversight of cell-cultivated meat in the market, safeguarding public health and consumer rights.
Summary
The bill prohibits food processing plants from selling or offering
for sale cell-cultivated meat that is misbranded as a meat product. The bill also requires food processing plants to clearly label cell-cultivated meat as cell-cultivated meat.
The department of public health and environment (department) is
required to inspect food at a food processing plant if the department has reasonable cause to believe that:
•
Cell-cultivated meat sold or offered for sale by the plant is misbranded as a meat product; or
•
The plant is failing to label cell-cultivated meat as required.
If, after an inspection, the department has reasonable cause to
believe that a food processing plant is selling or offering for sale cell-cultivated meat that is misbranded as a meat product, or is failing to label cell-cultivated meat as required, the department may issue a stop order. Upon being issued the stop order, the food processing plant shall not sell the product or offer it for sale until the department determines whether it is misbranded or unlabeled in violation of the bill.
If the department determines that a food processing plant is selling
or offering for sale cell-cultivated meat that is misbranded as a meat product, or is failing to label cell-cultivated meat as required, the department may issue an embargo order requiring the food processing plant to dispose of the cell-cultivated meat by means other than by sale to purchasers in Colorado.
The department, the attorney general, or the district attorney in the
district where cell-cultivated meat is being offered for sale or sold may petition the district court to enforce a stop order or an embargo order.
The department may adopt rules as necessary to implement the bill.
