Don't mess with my ice cream!

[Guest guest]

Tue, 20 Dec 2005 10:10:16 -0800

" Food and Water Watch- Food Irradiation CA "

<foodirradiationca

Don't mess with my ice cream!

 

 

 

Earlier this fall, the Food and Drug Administration published a

proposal to change the agency's " standards of identity " for ice cream and

frozen desserts. Standards of identity are the federal government's

rules

on what ingredients can be used in food bearing a particular label (for

example, standards of identity spell out the differences between

products which can be labeled as " cheese " vs. " pasteurized process cheese

food. " )

 

So why does should this matter to consumers? Because the current rules

state that ice cream is a frozen food made from a mixture of dairy

products containing at least ten percent milkfat. But the new proposal

would allow companies to use any " safe and suitable " milk-derived

ingredients in the processing of frozen dairy desserts. The proposal

did not

specify what they consider to be " safe and suitable " – but if the dairy

industry gets its way, ingredients such as ultra-filtered dry milk,

milk protein concentrate (MPC), and milk from " source animals other than

cows " could be on the ingredient list of products labeled as ice cream.

 

The use of milk protein concentrates, ultra-filtered milk, and milk

from animals other than cows is a way for processors to use inexpensive

imported milk proteins, at the expense of domestic dairy producers. Big

food processing companies save money by buying cheap imported MPC and

ultra-filtered milk rather than paying a fair price to U.S. dairy

farmers. As these imports rise, farmers face even more depressed domestic

milk prices and lose options for selling their product.

 

Tell the FDA you want to know what's in your ice cream! Send an email

(sample below) to the FDA before 12/27.

 

TAKE ACTION:

 

Click here to send a comment to FDA:

 

http://www.accessdata.fda.gov/scripts/oc/dockets/comments/COMMENTSMain.CFM?EC_DO\

CUMENT_ID=777 & SUBTYP=CONTINUE & CID= & AGENCY=FDA

 

Sample Letter

 

Docket No. 2003P-0132

 

I am writing to urge you not to move forward with the proposed rule to

amend the standards of identity for ice cream. The proposed rule,

which would allow non-milk ingredients and milk from animals other than

cows, will encourage the use of questionable ingredients like milk

protein

concentrate (MPC) and ultra-filtered milk.

 

In addition to being concerned about the lack of testing of ingredients

like milk protein concentrate and ultra-filtered milk, I am concerned

that this proposal could exacerbate the price crisis being suffered by

domestic dairy producers. Most milk protein concentrate, ultra-filtered

milk, and milk from animals other than cows will be imported. Besides

hurting

domestic dairy farmers, this leads to concerns about safety. The FDA

admits that they do " minimal monitoring " of MPC as it enters the U.S.,

yet MPC is imported from around the world - including countries where

dairy sanitation and food regulations are less stringent.

 

When consumers purchase something labeled as " ice cream " they expect a

product made with wholesome milk, not whatever ingredients the dairy

industry can think up. Weakening the standard of identity for ice cream

to satisfy industry's desire to use cheaper ingredients is a disservice

to consumers and I urge you not to move forward with these proposed

changes.

 

Sincerely,

 

<your name>

 

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