美国食品日期标注立法及对中国的启示

Food Date Labeling Legislation in the US and Lessons for China

研究了美国的食品日期标注体系及相关立法问题,指出美国联邦和州之间碎片化的食品日期标注一定程度上阻碍食品工业发展,但美国的日期标注精细化程度高,考虑食品风险品类做不同的标注要求,并建立食品银行等社会化捐赠等机制对临近保质期食品进行合理处置。文章指出中国中央集权体制有统一立法的优势一定程度上避免了美国食品日期标注分散和碎片化带来的不利因素,但美国也有很多有益机制可供中国借鉴。建议中国可借鉴美国等发达国家的经验,一方面根据食品特点及风险分类,制定更科学合理的、更精细化的保质期体系;另一方面,民政部门可与食品药品监管部门协作,逐步推动和建立食品的安全、合理和综合利用,拓建食品安全社会共治的新途径。

The article examined the food date labeling system and relevant legislation in the US,and argued that China could learn lessons from the US and other developed countries and consolidated its food date labeling system from two perspectives. It should diversify mechanisms for date labeling according to characteristics of different foods and risks thereof to reduce and avoid food waste. Additionally,the civil administration department is suggested to work together with food and drug administration department to establish a food bank system in China. By encouraging more enterprises and NGOs to support the food bank idea,those nearly-expired foods can be rightfully handled for the welfare of the whole society. In this way,regulatory collaboration between government and society can be achieved.