M 6-Lancaster Farming, Saturday, January 4, 2003 FDA Finds ‘Serious Violations’ In Kraft’s Use Of MFC DAVE LEFEVER Lancaster Farming Staff NORTHFIELD, 111. The Food and Drug Administration has sent a letter of warning to Kraft Foods citing that several of the company’s pasteurized pro cess cheese “food” products are in violation of the Code of Feder al Regulations because they con tain milk protein concentrate (MFC) and are mislabeled as “food”. The letter is dated Dec. 18 and addressed to Betsy Holden, presi dent and CEO of Kraft Foods North America, Inc., based in Northfield, 111. The warning came as a result of FDA inspections in July and August of Kraft facilities in Champaign, 111.; New Ulm, Minn.; and Springfield, Mo. “Our inspectional observations GRAIN, CATTLE, HOG, & MILK BFP FUTURES MARKETS Markets Courtesy of Chicago Board and Mercantile Exchange Closing Bids: Thursday, January 2, 2003 Com 12/31/02 01/02/03 01/02/03 01/02/03 01/02/03 01/02/03 *CASH* MAR 03 MAY 03 JUL 03 SEP 03 DEC 03 01/02/03 01/02/03 01/02/03 01/02/03 MAR MAY JUL DEC Total 12/31/02 Soybeans 12/31/02 01/02/03 01/02/03 01/02/03 01/02/03 01/02/03 01/02/03 01/02/03 01/02/03 01/02/03 01/02/03 *CASH* JAN 03 MAR 03 MAY 03 JUL 03 AUG 03 SEP 03 NOV 03 JAN 04 - MAR 04 NOV 04 Total 12/31/02 Soybean Meal 12/31/02 01/02/03 01/02/03 01/02/03 01/02/03 01/02/03 01/02/03 01/02/03 01/02/03 01/02/03 01/02/03 01/02/03 01/02/03 01/02/03 *CASH* JAN 03 MAR 03 MAY 03 JUL 03 AUG 03 SEP 03 OCT 03 DEC 03 JAN 04 MAR 04 MAY 04 JUL 04 DEC 04 ~ Total . -. Volume Qpen_lnt Total Volume Qpen_lnt 12/31/02 468 5959 j i lOiTl4<jrni4il| t, , I'M,* h,*,i m** # * I and review of certain labeling collected during the subject in spections found serious violations of Section 403 of the Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act and Title 21, Code of Federal Regula tions... Requirements for Specific Standardized Cheese and Relat ed Products,” the letter stated. The letter charges that Kraft Singles American Pasteurized Process Cheese Food, Kraft Sin gles Sharp Cheddar Pasteurized Cheese Food, and Kraft Singles Swiss Pasteurized Process Cheese Food products “are misbrande d...in that they purport to be or are represented as food, namely pasteurized process cheese food, for which a definition and stan dard of identity has been pre scribed...and the products do not conform to the definition and standard. Milk protein concen Open 2346 2392 2430 2414 2402 04 04 04 04 2470 2490 2504 2400 Volume Qpen_lnt 32586 438041 Open 5700 5674 5604 5550 5474 5140 5270 4904 Volume Qpen_lnt 34933 201351 Open High 16650 1715 1725 1710 1691 1660 1618 1570 1570 1560 1567 1557 1560 1590 1678 1678 1672 1658 1630 1600 1560 1546 1560 1567 1558 1590 High 2406 2386 2422 2454 2426 2422 Low 2406 2346 2392 2424 2414 2400 2470 2490 2504 2396 2476 2492 2504 2400 High 5605 5860 5824 5760 5680 5580 5384 5220 5250 5270 4904 Low 5605 5690 5650 5590 5544 5474 5384 5130 5250 5270 4904 Low 16650 1673 1672 1660 1651 1627 1598 1550 1545 1560 1567 1557 1558 1590 trate is not listed...as one of the optional dairy ingredients that may be used in pasteurized cheese food.” Kraft Velveeta Pasteurized Process Cheese Spread was cited for a similar labeling violation be cause it contains MPC. A copy of the FDA letter was forwarded to Lancaster Farm ing by Gerald Carlin, Susque hanna County dairyman and member of the Pennsylvania Dairy Policy Development Com mittee of the Family Farm De fenders, a group that has been calling such use of imported MPC illegal and lobbying gov ernment representatives to take action. “The letter from FDA to Kraft Foods confirms what those of us following this issue have known for two years or more,” Carlin 12/31/02 *CASH* 01/02/03 Feb 03 01/02/03 Apr 03 01/02/03 May 03 01/02/03 Jun 03 01/02/03 Jul 03 01/02/03 Aug 03 01/02/03 Oct 03 01/02/03 Dec 03 01/02/03 Feb 04 Chge + 20 + 12 + 10 + 14 + 10 + 10 Last 2406 2370 2406 2444 2422 2416 + 10 + 10 + 6 unch 2474 2492 2504 2400 Chge Last 5605 5844 5810 5750 5674 5580 5384 5214 5250 5270 4904 +3O + 150 +l6O + 162 + 140 + 130 + 90 + 86 + 100 + 100 -14 Last 16650 1710 1720 1708 1688 1658 1618 1570 1567 1560 1567 1557 1560 1590 said in a letter to Lancaster Farming. “The timing of this (FDA) let ter is somewhat suspect since Kraft has already announced a change in labeling,” Carlin noted. According to unconfirmed reports, Kraft is removing the word “food” from the labels of the cheese products cited by the FDA, labeling them “Pasteurized Prepared Cheese Product” in stead. The letter to Kraft was pro ceeded by a similar warning the FDA made in November to a small-scale cheese plant in Wis consin. According to Carlin, the label ing change is an attempt by Kraft to appease the FDA while maintaining consumer confi dence in their products. “From a consumer standpoint, Lean Hogs Date Composite Volume Open_lnt 12/31/02 5928 39386 Live Cattle Date 12/31/02 *CASH* 0 740074007400 01/02/03 Feb 03 7945 798079207960 01/02/03 Apr 03 7875 795078557940 01/02/03 Jun 03 7245 729572427287 01/02/03 Aug 03 7022 707070227065 01/02/03 Oct 03 7175 720071707190 Composite Volume Open_lnt 12/31/02 13632 112548 Pork Bellies Date 12/31/02 *CASH* 0 780078007800 -400 01/02/03 Feb 03 8570 863585078617 -3 01/02/03 Mar 03 8380 846583708460 +2O 01/02/03 May 03 8530 856084958555 +l5 01/02/03 Jul 03 8510 861085008600 +33 01/02/03 Aug 03 8460 8490 8445 8460 unch Composite Volume Open_lnt 12/31/02 Oats 12/31/02 01/02/03 01/02/03 01/02/03 01/02/03 01/02/03 01/02/03 *CASH* MAR 03 MAY 03 JUL 03 SEP 03 DEC 03 MAR 04 ~ U- U¥ ¥ Previous Previous Open High Low Last Chge Volume ope „ 0 0 3597 19435 1124 8997 355 2516 225 5096 296 1606 300 1299 29 324 2 109 0 4 0 439043904390 -230 5200 523051205182 +22 5750 580556805795 +23 6195 625561656245 +55 6395 646063956447 +l2 6180 622561556197 +52 5940 596559255945 +45 5320 535553205347 +52 5185 524551855245 +65 5420 544054205440 +65 _ x Previous Previous Open High Low Last Chge volume Openjnt 0 0 6540 54684 2930 32560 3153 18503 214 5626 64 1123 r\ a. ut T tr ,. Previous Previous Open High Low Last Chge Vo lume Open.lnt 0 0 362 2061 80 374 8 141 8 185 0 10 458 2771 Open 2030 1960 1780 1570 I believe it is safe to say that most will not notice the change in labeling, much less be aware that the old label represented a standardized cheese and the new one does not,” Carlin said. “I be lieve the only adequate solution, short of financial restitution, would be to force Kraft to sus pend the use of MPC in all prod ucts until it has GRAS (General ly Regarded As Safe) status.” Carlin noted that Judith Kit well, an attorney with the FDA, stated in December 2000 that “to be lawful, milk protein concen trate must meet GRAS criteria.” If MPC were to be given GRAS status, all dairy products made with MPC should be la beled “imitation” as has been the case with dairy products con (Turn to Page A 36) High 2166 2056 1974 1790 1560 1570 1580 Low 2166 2030 1960 1780 1560 1570 1580 Chge -4 + 36 +3O + 10 + 10 + 10 unch Last 2166 2054 1974 1786 1560 1570 1580
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