SAN FRANCISCO — The Plant Based Foods Association (P.B.F.A.) is attempting to strike a balance with the release of voluntary guidelines for the labeling of plant-based meat alternatives. The proposal is in response to legislative proposals in many states that would restrict the labeling of meat alternatives with words and phrases commonly used to describe conventional meat products.
The meat alternative standards allow for references to the type of animal-meat (i.e. “meat, “chicken,” “hamburger,” etc.) and the form of the product (i.e. “nuggets,” “burger,” etc.) along with a qualifier that clearly indicates that the food is plant-based or vegetarian, according to the P.B.F.A. The qualifiers include: “plant-based,” “vegan,” “meatless,” “meat-free,” “vegetarian,” “veggie,” “made from plants,” and other similar phrases.
“As consumers increasingly seeking out plant-based meat options, the Plant Based Foods Association is leading the way by promoting a labeling standard that suggests clear labeling terms that consumers understand,” said Michele Simon, the group’s executive director.