“Pea-protein strips” don’t quite have the same ring (or appeal) as “plant-based bacon” (if you’re into that).
On this episode of “Catfish”: The Food and Drug Administration isurging more specific labels for plant-based alternative meat products. So… more accurately, on this episode of plant-based “Catfish”?
If it looks like meat and tastes like meat, it’s probably plants: The FDA guidance aims to ensure plant-based products don’t mislead consumers. The FDA suggests stating the predominant plant source (by weight) first in the name. It’s more of a “best practices” approach than an enforceable rule—and TBD on what the Trump admin will do with this.
What I ordered versus what I got: The demand for plant products has increased from $5.5B in 2019 to $8.1B in 2023, with consumers asking for alternatives for eggs, seafood, poultry, meat, and dairy. But dairy’s been through this before—plant-based milks are excluded from the guidelines since they were covered by previous guidance in 2023.
Plant-derived litigation: But organizations like Plant Based Foods Association say some of the suggestions are burdensome and could cause future litigation down the road. They smell false advertising lawsuits. A lawyer says the guidance is “anti-competitive and singles out the plant-based food industry to appease dairy and meat industries.”
Comments on the drafted guidelines are open until May 7.