Bill > S184

This bill aims to formally define "natural cheese" within the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act, providing clarity for consumers and the cheese-making industry. The bill defines natural cheese as a ripened or unripened cheese product made by coagulating milk proteins through specific processes, such as using rennet or other coagulating agents, with the key requirement that the cheese's protein content is higher than the original milk blend. The definition explicitly excludes various processed cheese products like pasteurized process cheeses, cheese foods, cheese spreads, and blended cheeses. The bill also requires that labels using the term "natural cheese" must accurately reflect the legislated definition, while still allowing the use of terms like "natural" or "all-natural" consistent with existing regulations. Notably, the definition expands beyond cow's milk to include lacteal secretions from other animals. The bill, dubbed the "CURD Act" (Codifying Useful Regulatory Definitions Act), addresses a need identified by Congress to maintain transparency and consistency in cheese product labeling, drawing upon terminology that has been used in the cheese-making industry for over 50 years.

Health and Social Services

https://www.congress.gov/bill/119th-congress/senate-bill/184/all-info