FSHN 101 Exam 4 – Food Science and Human Nutrition – Review Notes and
Practice Material
explain the relationship between science, laws and regulations, and politics - ✔✔-Science
doesn't always drive law and regulation
-Politics drives it more
differentiate between food laws and regulations (branch of the federal government involved,
brief definition of each, and mechanisms for input from the public for each - ✔✔Food Laws:
-Legislative Branch
-establishes general policies and guidelines which govern the activities of the food industry.
-Legislation passed by congress becomes law when the President signs it
-ONLY CONGRESS CAN AMEND THE LAWS
Food Regulations:
-Executive Branch
-responsible for enforcing the laws through regulations
-Regulations are created, modified, or revoked by the rule making process (agencies bringing
fourth the change)
-Regulations may also be influenced by petition
explain the four steps in the rule making process (include for example, which step is optional,
when a comment is received what the agency is required in response, etc.,) - ✔✔1. Advanced
Notice of Proposed Rule Making
-Agency announces its intent
-ONLY DONE IN SOME CASES
2. The Proposed Rule
3. Comment Period
,4. Final Rules and Regulations
explain the petition process (recall the petitions recently submitted by citizens to define the
term Natural on food labels discussed in class) - ✔✔1. Agencies can be petitioned to issue,
change or cancel a regulation, or to take other action
2. Petitions must contain: action requested, statement of grounds and certification or
information
3. Most petitions come from industry or consumer groups, only a few come from individuals.
4. On average, the FDA receives about 200 petitions yearly
describe the difference between laws, regulations, rules, and guidelines - ✔✔
identify the three main purposes of food laws and regulations - ✔✔1. To ENSURE the safety
and wholesomeness of the food supply
2. To PREVENT economic fraud or deception in food labeling and advertising in the mass media
3. To INFORM consumers about the nutritional content and healthfulness of foods.
name the eight government agencies involved in enforcing the food laws through regulations
and their specific regulation responsibilities - ✔✔1. Food and Drug Administration- primary
responsibility is to ensure the safety and proper labeling of most foods through administrative
enforcement powers. (doesn't cover meat and poultry)
2. United States Department of Agriculture- responsible for ensuring the safety and labeling of
meat and poultry products.
3. Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau- In the U.S. Department of the Treasury: regulates
alcoholic beverages
, 4. Environmental Protection Agency- Responsible for ensuring that pesticides applied to crop
foods are safe.
5. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration: Responsible for seafood quality and
identification, fisheries management and development, habitat conservation, and aquaculture
production
6. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention: Responsible for responding to food- borne illness
emergencies. Reporting structure: Local to State to CDC.
7. U.S. Department of Justice- Can initiate civil actions to prevent individuals from distributing
adulterated foods and seek criminal charges inappropriate circumstances .
8. Federal Trade Commission- Regulates Food Advertising
identify which government agency (or agencies) would mostly likely be involved given a
particular situation or case - ✔✔Refer to list of agencies
describe the history, focus, and major contributions of the eight food laws and amendments we
discussed in class, including the impact of the 2011 FSMA on the enforcement powers of the
FDA (be sure to watch the FDA's New Food Safety Law video available on the left-side bar in the
Visual Explanation folder) - ✔✔
define and be able to identify examples of the following terms: adulterated foods (economic
adulteration and foreign material); misbranded foods; the Delaney Clause; intentional
adulteration - ✔✔1. Adulterated Foods
a. Economic Adulteration- Adding a less valuable material (water to wine) or removing a more
valuable material (fat from milk)
b. Foreign Material- Adding aesthetically displeasing or potentially harmful material
Practice Material
explain the relationship between science, laws and regulations, and politics - ✔✔-Science
doesn't always drive law and regulation
-Politics drives it more
differentiate between food laws and regulations (branch of the federal government involved,
brief definition of each, and mechanisms for input from the public for each - ✔✔Food Laws:
-Legislative Branch
-establishes general policies and guidelines which govern the activities of the food industry.
-Legislation passed by congress becomes law when the President signs it
-ONLY CONGRESS CAN AMEND THE LAWS
Food Regulations:
-Executive Branch
-responsible for enforcing the laws through regulations
-Regulations are created, modified, or revoked by the rule making process (agencies bringing
fourth the change)
-Regulations may also be influenced by petition
explain the four steps in the rule making process (include for example, which step is optional,
when a comment is received what the agency is required in response, etc.,) - ✔✔1. Advanced
Notice of Proposed Rule Making
-Agency announces its intent
-ONLY DONE IN SOME CASES
2. The Proposed Rule
3. Comment Period
,4. Final Rules and Regulations
explain the petition process (recall the petitions recently submitted by citizens to define the
term Natural on food labels discussed in class) - ✔✔1. Agencies can be petitioned to issue,
change or cancel a regulation, or to take other action
2. Petitions must contain: action requested, statement of grounds and certification or
information
3. Most petitions come from industry or consumer groups, only a few come from individuals.
4. On average, the FDA receives about 200 petitions yearly
describe the difference between laws, regulations, rules, and guidelines - ✔✔
identify the three main purposes of food laws and regulations - ✔✔1. To ENSURE the safety
and wholesomeness of the food supply
2. To PREVENT economic fraud or deception in food labeling and advertising in the mass media
3. To INFORM consumers about the nutritional content and healthfulness of foods.
name the eight government agencies involved in enforcing the food laws through regulations
and their specific regulation responsibilities - ✔✔1. Food and Drug Administration- primary
responsibility is to ensure the safety and proper labeling of most foods through administrative
enforcement powers. (doesn't cover meat and poultry)
2. United States Department of Agriculture- responsible for ensuring the safety and labeling of
meat and poultry products.
3. Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau- In the U.S. Department of the Treasury: regulates
alcoholic beverages
, 4. Environmental Protection Agency- Responsible for ensuring that pesticides applied to crop
foods are safe.
5. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration: Responsible for seafood quality and
identification, fisheries management and development, habitat conservation, and aquaculture
production
6. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention: Responsible for responding to food- borne illness
emergencies. Reporting structure: Local to State to CDC.
7. U.S. Department of Justice- Can initiate civil actions to prevent individuals from distributing
adulterated foods and seek criminal charges inappropriate circumstances .
8. Federal Trade Commission- Regulates Food Advertising
identify which government agency (or agencies) would mostly likely be involved given a
particular situation or case - ✔✔Refer to list of agencies
describe the history, focus, and major contributions of the eight food laws and amendments we
discussed in class, including the impact of the 2011 FSMA on the enforcement powers of the
FDA (be sure to watch the FDA's New Food Safety Law video available on the left-side bar in the
Visual Explanation folder) - ✔✔
define and be able to identify examples of the following terms: adulterated foods (economic
adulteration and foreign material); misbranded foods; the Delaney Clause; intentional
adulteration - ✔✔1. Adulterated Foods
a. Economic Adulteration- Adding a less valuable material (water to wine) or removing a more
valuable material (fat from milk)
b. Foreign Material- Adding aesthetically displeasing or potentially harmful material
