NPPC: Impossible Pork Violates Labeling Law
The National Pork Producers Council (NPPC) says Impossible Foods' naming convention for its plant-based products designed to mimic real pork a violation of U.S. labelling law, according to a release from the council. It cites law that prohibits the use of words that redefine pork as it has been known by consumers for centuries. Dr. Dan Kovich, director of science and technology for the NPPC says that pork simply can’t be made from plants, and to call it such is impossible:
"What's impossible is to make pork from plants. This is a brazen attempt to circumvent decades of food labelling law and centuries of precedence. Any adjective placed in front of the word pork can only refine it, not redefine it. It's not pork. It's not pork sausage. It can't be labelled as such,” he says in the release.
According the release, NPPC supports consumer choice and competitive markets on a level playing field. As such, plant-based and cell-cultured products designed to mimic real meat must face the same regulatory requirements as livestock agriculture, including truthful labelling standards.
For more information, the group has put together a position paper. It can be read here.