PORTLAND (AP) — Connecticut Sen. Richard Blumenthal and Maine Rep. Chellie Pingree say food date labeling confuses consumers and needs to be standardized.
The Democrats are introducing legislation to establish a uniform national date labeling system to cut down on the confusion. They also say their proposal would reduce food waste and make it easier for companies to comply with regulations.
The legislators introduced the proposal, called the Food Date Labeling Act, on Wednesday. They say it would distinguish between foods that carry a label that indicates peak quality from foods where the label indicates they might become unsafe to eat.
Blumenthal and Pingree say the recommendations are based on reports by the Natural Resources Defense Council, the Harvard Food Law and Policy Clinic, and the Food Date Labeling Working Group.
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