Label changes among topics stirring up buzz in ’17

he new year in food is off to a busy start. There’s already news to share.

More easily understood date labels could start appearing on meat and dairy products in 2017, thanks to action by the U.S. Department of Agriculture.

Last month, the USDA’s Food Safety and Inspection Service issued new guidelines for foodproduct labeling aimed at reducing food waste.

The agency is encouraging food manufacturers to adopt the labeling “Best if used by” to help consumers understand when food remains safe to eat.

The USDA estimates that 30 percent of food is wasted either at the retail or consumer level over confusion about its suitability for consumption.

The agency’s research shows that the phrase “Best if used by” is most easily understood by consumers as an indication of quality, not safety.

The phrase would replace the more ambiguous “sell by” or “use by” phrasing on food labels, assuming that food manufacturers adopt the recommendation as hoped.

No law currently requires food dating on any product except infant formula.

U.S. Rep. Chellie Pingree (D-Maine) has introduced the Food Date Labeling Act, to establish a uniform national system for such labeling and to educate consumers about what labels mean.

The USDA and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency have set a joint goal of reducing food waste by 50 percent by 2030, aimed at eliminating food waste from landfills.

You likely will be hearing a lot about jackfruit this year.

The tropical fruit has long been a staple in India and other parts of southeastern Asia, where it is grown, but is just now starting to appear in the U.S. market.

Jackfruit is the national fruit of Bangladesh.

Because of its high fiber content and fairly neutral flavor, jackfruit is being hailed by some as a worthy substitute for meat.

I’ll try to get some this year to test in the Dispatch Kitchen. If I do, and all goes well, I’ll be sure to share the results and recipes with you.

The Girl Scouts this year will mark the 100th anniversary of their first cookie sale.

To celebrate the occasion, the scouts have introduced a s’mores cookie — a graham cracker sandwich cookie with chocolate and marshmallow filling.

The cookie seems wappropriate because Girl Scouts are credited with inventing the s’more. The first recorded recipe for the campfire treat — Campfire Marshmallows — dates to 1920, when the company noted that the “graham cracker sandwich” is a favorite treat of scouts.