Petition to U.S. Food and Drug Administration to Require Disclosure of Animal-Derived Ingredients

Consumers care about what they eat. People want — and have a right — to know what is in the food they purchase. Yet current U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) regulations are inadequate when it comes to animal-derived ingredients.

Under the current rules, consumers often cannot determine if a product contains animal-derived ingredients even if they (1) read the ingredients list, (2) research each individual ingredient, or even (3) contact the food company directly. Beyond the “ick factor” of inadvertently eating duck feathers or sheep’s wool grease, animal-derived ingredients can trigger serious allergic reactions and violate religious or other closely held dietary restrictions.

Read More About the Problem

Disclosure of Animal-Derived Ingredients: Information Fact Sheet

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A pair of studies by researchers at the University of Oklahoma found that adding a “contains animal-derived ingredients” disclaimer to food packaging significantly increased consumers’ ability to make informed food choices. When the disclaimer was added to the ingredients panel, for example, nearly 95% of consumers were able to identify which foods contain animal ingredients–compared to just 21% without the disclaimer.

Read More About the University of Oklahoma Studies

Consumer Survey on Animal-Derived Ingredients: Information Fact Sheet

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Take Action

Current labeling regulations fail to ensure that Americans have easy access to truthful information when products contain ingredients derived from animal connective tissue, tendons, bones, fat, feathers, wool grease, and more. A disclosure on product labels that states when food products contain animal-derived ingredients is not only factually accurate, but importantly, necessary to prevent harm, deception, or confusion, and to ensure public health and safety.