Brindisi Leads Effort To Stop Labeling Non Dairy Products As Milk

Representative Anthony Brindisi has joined a group of bipartisan freshmen members of Congress urging the Food and Drug Administration to take strong action against manufacturers who falsely label non-dairy products as milk.

In a letter to the FDA Commissioner, the lawmakers object to the growing trend of imitation or substitute dairy products labeled with standardized dairy terms.

They says it has undermined consumer confidence, the very purposes of standards of identity for foods.

Brindisi says it's simple --  "if it comes from a cow, it's milk, if it doesn't, it's not."

“We urge you to make crystal clear that dairy imitators will not be considered in compliance with standards of identity if they merely add the name of a plant material in front of a standardized dairy term, or otherwise reference dairy terms,” wrote Brindisi and his colleagues. “Modifying the word “milk” with a plant product descriptor does not make the label accurate or appropriate”