Food Product Law & Legal Definition

Food, when it is for sale can be referred to as food products. Food is any substance that is usually composed of carbohydrates, fats, proteins and water. It can be eaten or drunk by any animal including humans for nutrition or pleasure. Most of the foods are of plant or animal origin.

The federal U.S Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is the main governing body to ensure the safety and wholesomeness of food. There are various regulations concerning food product quality and distribution. These regulations include standards relating to quality, adulteration, misbranding, and pricing.

Example of a State Statute using the term ‘Food Product’

Code of Ala. § 2-17-1 [Title 2 Agriculture ;Chapter 17 Meat and Poultry Inspection]

Definitions.

When used in this chapter, the following terms shall have the following meanings, respectively, unless the context clearly indicates otherwise:

(8) Meat food product. Any product capable of use as human food which is made wholly or in part from any meat or other portion of the carcass of any cattle, sheep, swine, goats or poultry, excepting products which contain meat or other portions of such carcasses only in a relatively small proportion or historically have not been considered by consumers as products of the meat food industry and which are exempted from definition as a meat food product by the commissioner under such conditions as he may prescribe to assure that the meat or other portions of such carcasses contained in such product are not adulterated and that such products are not represented as meat food products. Such term as applied to food products of equines shall have a meaning comparable to that provided in this subdivision with respect to cattle, sheep, swine, goats and poultry.

(9) Poultry food product. Any poultry carcass or any part thereof or any product capable of use as human food which is made wholly or in part from any meat or other portion of the carcass of poultry, excepting products which contain meat or other portions of such carcasses only in a relatively small proportion or historically have not been considered by consumers as products of the poultry food industry and which are exempted from definition as a poultry food product by the commissioner under such conditions as he may prescribe to assure that the meat or other portions of such carcasses contained in such product are not adulterated and that such products are not represented as poultry food products.

Code of Ala. § 6-5-621 defines perishable food product as follows:

(2) Perishable food product or Commodity. Any agricultural or aquacultural food product which is sold or distributed in a form that will perish or decay beyond marketability within a short period of time.