[Congressional Bills 117th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 3324 Introduced in Senate (IS)]
<DOC>
117th CONGRESS
1st Session
S. 3324
To establish requirements for quality and discard dates that are, at
the option of food labelers, included in food packaging, and for other
purposes.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES
December 7, 2021
Mr. Blumenthal introduced the following bill; which was read twice and
referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To establish requirements for quality and discard dates that are, at
the option of food labelers, included in food packaging, and for other
purposes.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the
United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the ``Food Date Labeling Act of 2021''.
SEC. 2. DEFINITIONS.
In this Act:
(1) Administering secretaries.--The term ``administering
Secretaries'' means--
(A) the Secretary of Agriculture, with respect to
any product that is--
(i) under the jurisdiction of the Secretary
of Agriculture; and
(ii)(I) a poultry product (as defined in
section 4 of the Poultry Products Inspection
Act (21 U.S.C. 453));
(II) a meat food product (as defined in
section 1 of the Federal Meat Inspection Act
(21 U.S.C. 601)); or
(III) an egg product (as defined in section
4 of the Egg Products Inspection Act (21 U.S.C.
1033)); and
(B) the Secretary of Health and Human Services,
with respect to any product that is--
(i) under the jurisdiction of the Secretary
of Health and Human Services; and
(ii) a food (as defined in section 201 of
the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act (21
U.S.C. 321)).
(2) Discard date.--The term ``discard date'' means a date
voluntarily printed on food packaging that signifies the end of
the estimated period of shelf life under any stated storage
conditions, after which the food labeler advises the product
not be consumed.
(3) Food labeler.--The term ``food labeler'' means the
producer, manufacturer, distributor, or retailer that places a
date label on food packaging of a product.
(4) Quality date.--The term ``quality date'' means a date
voluntarily printed on food packaging that is intended to
communicate to consumers the date after which--
(A) the quality of the product may begin to
deteriorate; but
(B) the product remains apparently wholesome food
(as defined in subsection (b) of the Bill Emerson Good
Samaritan Food Donation Act (42 U.S.C. 1791(b))).
SEC. 3. QUALITY DATES AND DISCARD DATES.
(a) Quality Dates.--
(1) In general.--If a food labeler includes a quality date
on food packaging, the label shall use the uniform quality date
label phrase under paragraph (2).
(2) Uniform phrase.--The uniform quality date label phrase
under this paragraph shall be ``BEST If Used By'' or, if
permissible under subsection (c)(3), the standard abbreviation
of ``BB'', unless and until the administering Secretaries,
acting jointly, specify through rulemaking another uniform
phrase to be used for purposes of complying with paragraph (1).
(3) Option of the labeler.--The decisions on whether to
include a quality date on food packaging and which foods should
be so labeled shall be at the discretion of the food labeler.
(b) Discard Dates.--
(1) In general.--If a food labeler includes a discard date
on food packaging, the label shall use the uniform discard date
label phrase under paragraph (2).
(2) Uniform phrase.--The uniform discard date label phrase
under this paragraph shall be ``USE By'' or, if permissible
under subsection (c)(3), the standard abbreviation of ``UB'',
unless and until the administering Secretaries, acting jointly,
specify through rulemaking another uniform phrase to be used
for purposes of complying with paragraph (1).
(3) Option of the labeler.--The decisions on whether to
include a discard date on food packaging and which foods should
be so labeled shall be at the discretion of the food labeler.
(c) Quality Date and Discard Date Labeling.--
(1) In general.--The quality date or discard date, as
applicable, and immediately adjacent uniform quality date label
phrase or discard date label phrase--
(A) shall be--
(i) in single easy-to-read type style; and
(ii) located in a conspicuous place on the
package of the food; and
(B) may be on the label or, at the discretion of
the food labeler, elsewhere on the package.
(2) Date format.--Each quality date and discard date shall
be stated in terms of day and month and, as appropriate, year.
(3) Abbreviations.--A food labeler may use a standard
abbreviation of ``BB'' and ``UB'' for the quality date and
discard date, respectively, only if the food packaging is too
small to include the uniform phrase described in subsection
(a)(2) or (b)(2), as applicable.
(4) Freeze by.--A food labeler may add ``or Freeze By''
following a quality date or discard date uniform phrase.
(d) Education.--Not later than 1 year after the date of enactment
of this Act, the administering Secretaries, acting jointly, shall
provide consumer education and outreach on the meaning of quality date
and discard date food labels.
(e) Effect; Preemption.--
(1) Effect on sale or donation of foods.--Nothing in this
Act or an amendment made by this Act prohibits any State or
political subdivision of a State from establishing or
continuing in effect any requirement that prohibits the sale or
donation of foods based on passage of the discard date.
(2) Effect on infant formula.--Nothing in this Act or an
amendment made by this Act--
(A) applies with respect to infant formula (as
defined in section 201 of the Federal Food, Drug, and
Cosmetic Act (21 U.S.C. 321)); or
(B) affects the requirements relating to infant
formula under section 412 of the Federal Food, Drug,
and Cosmetic Act (21 U.S.C. 350a) or any other
applicable provision of law.
(3) Preemption.--No State or political subdivision of a
State may establish or continue in effect any requirement
that--
(A) relates to the inclusion in food labeling of a
quality date or a discard date that is different from
or in addition to, or that is otherwise not identical
with, the requirements of this Act and the amendments
made by this Act; or
(B) prohibits the sale or donation of foods based
on passage of the quality date.
(4) Enforcement.--The administering Secretaries, acting
jointly and in coordination with the Federal Trade Commission,
shall ensure that the uniform quality date label phrase and
uniform discard date label phrase are standardized across all
food products.
(5) Savings.--Notwithstanding paragraph (3), nothing in
this Act, any amendment made by this Act, or any standard or
requirement imposed pursuant to this Act preempts, displaces,
or supplants any State or Federal common law rights or any
State or Federal statute creating a remedy for civil relief,
including a remedy for civil damage, or a penalty for criminal
conduct.
(f) Time Temperature Indicator Labels.--Nothing in this Act or an
amendment made by this Act prohibits or restricts the use of time-
temperature indicator labels or similar technology that is in addition
to or in lieu of any uniform quality date label phrase under subsection
(a)(2) or uniform discard date label phrase under subsection (b)(2).
SEC. 4. MISBRANDING.
(a) FDA Violations.--Section 403 of the Federal Food, Drug, and
Cosmetic Act (21 U.S.C. 343) is amended by adding at the end the
following:
``(z) If it is food and its labeling is in violation of section 3
of the Food Date Labeling Act of 2021.''.
(b) Poultry Products.--Section 4(h) of the Poultry Products
Inspection Act (21 U.S.C. 453(h)) is amended--
(1) in paragraph (11), by striking ``or'' at the end;
(2) in paragraph (12), by striking the period at the end
and inserting ``; or''; and
(3) by adding at the end the following:
``(13) if its labeling is in violation of section 3 of the
Food Date Labeling Act of 2021.''.
(c) Meat Products.--Section 1(n) of the Federal Meat Inspection Act
(21 U.S.C. 601(n)) is amended--
(1) in paragraph (11), by striking ``or'' at the end;
(2) in paragraph (12), by striking the period at the end
and inserting ``; or''; and
(3) by adding at the end the following:
``(13) if its labeling is in violation of section 3 of the
Food Date Labeling Act of 2021.''.
(d) Egg Products.--Section 7(b) of the Egg Products Inspection Act
(21 U.S.C. 1036(b)) is amended in the first sentence by inserting ``or
if its labeling is in violation of section 3 of the Food Date Labeling
Act of 2021'' before the period at the end.
SEC. 5. REGULATIONS.
Not later than 2 years after the date of enactment of this Act, the
administering Secretaries, acting jointly, shall promulgate final
regulations for carrying out this Act and the amendments made by this
Act.
SEC. 6. DELAYED APPLICABILITY.
This Act and the amendments made by this Act shall apply only with
respect to food products that are labeled on or after the date that is
2 years after the date of promulgation of final regulations under
section 5.
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