Food Regulatory Law: Safeguarding Health and Fairness in the Food Industry
Food regulatory law plays a critical role in ensuring that food products are safe, accurately labeled, and fairly marketed. This framework of laws and regulations is essential for protecting public health, preventing fraud, and ensuring that consumers have access to safe, high-quality food. In the United States, food regulatory law is enforced through federal, state, and local agencies, with the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) as central players in overseeing food safety. This article provides an overview of food regulatory law, discussing its foundations, the role of regulatory agencies, key legislation, and current challenges. The Foundation of Food Regulatory Law Food regulatory law in the United States dates back over a century, with the enactment of the Pure Food and Drug Act in 1906. This act laid the groundwork for federal regulation of food products, primarily to prevent the sale of adulterated or mislabeled food and dr