Plant-based, non-dairy milk producers scored a win when the Food and Drug Administration issued guidance stating products like almond, oat, and soy options can be called milk.
The agency noted that the plant-based milks were not being misrepresented to customers as true dairy products. According to the guidance, new rules would make it necessary for plant-based milk makers to clearly label which plant the beverage was made from, like 'soy milk' or 'oat milk.'
The draft rules also say packaging must contain additional nutritional labels that inform customers when the product would contain lower nutritional value than dairy milk.
"By acknowledging both the utter lack of nutritional standards prevalent in plant-based beverages and the confusion over nutritional value that's prevailed in the marketplace because of the unlawful use of dairy terms, FDA's proposed guidance today will provide greater transparency that's sorely needed for consumers to make informed choices," it wrote.
Despite the approval of the nutritional standards, the NMPF still accused the FDA of violating its "own standards of identity" by allowing the continuation of plant-based beverages to be called milk.
Former Cisco Systems CEO John Chambers learned all about technology’s volatile highs and lows as a veteran of the internet’s early boom days during the late 1990s and the ensuing meltdown that followed the mania. And now he is seeing potential signs of the cycle repeating with another transformative technology in artificial intelligence. Chambers is trying take some of the lessons he learned while riding a wave that turned Cisco into the world's most valuable company in 2000 before a crash hammered its stock price and apply them as an investor in AI startups. He recently discussed AI's promise and perils during an interview with The Associated Press.
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Atlanta Mayor Andre Dickens shares plans for affordable housing, community-led growth, and why private and public grocery stores could be key to food equity.
Tesla reported a surprise increase in sales in the third quarter as the electric car maker likely benefited from a rush by consumers to take advantage of a $7,500 credit before it expired on Sept. 30. The company reported Thursday that sales in the three months through September rose 7% compared to the same period a year ago. The gain follows two quarters of steep declines as people turned off by CEO Elon Musk’s foray into right-wing politics avoided buying his company’s cars and even protested at some dealerships. Sales rose to 497,099 vehicles, compared with 462,890 in the same period last year.
