Bill > HR1394

This bill, known as the CURD (Codifying Useful Regulatory Definitions) Act, aims to provide a clear legal definition for "natural cheese" in the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act. The bill defines natural cheese as a cheese product made by coagulating milk proteins through traditional cheese-making processes, which results in a higher protein content compared to the original milk ingredients. The definition includes cheeses that are soft, semi-soft, or hard, and allows for the addition of non-milk ingredients that are permitted in existing cheese standards. Importantly, the bill explicitly excludes several types of processed cheese products from being classified as "natural cheese," such as process cheeses, cheese foods, cheese spreads, and blended cheeses. The legislation also requires that food labels using the term "natural cheese" must meet the newly established definition, while still allowing the use of terms like "natural" or "all-natural" in a manner consistent with existing regulations. The bill's findings note that the term "natural cheese" has been used in the cheese-making industry for over 50 years and that this definition will help provide transparency and consistency for consumers in differentiating between natural and processed cheese products.

Business and Industry

https://www.congress.gov/bill/119th-congress/house-bill/1394/all-info