http://http://www.cnn.com/2008/HEALTH/09/29/food.origin.labels.ap/index.html
Until now, shoppers have had little clue where many everyday
foods --
meats, fresh fruits and vegetables, certain nuts -- originate.
That's what the
so-called COOL law, for country-of-origin labeling,
changes.
Those who want
to buy local -- or who prefer, say, Chilean
grapes and New Zealand lamb -- can
more easily exercise their purchasing
power. Those worried about lax safety
regulations in certain countries can
avoid those imports. And the next time
tomatoes are suspected of food
poisoning, consumers may be able to tell investigators they bought only ones
grown in a certain region, speeding the probe.
Great news, yeah? Sort of. There are a lot of exemptions, so please still ask. Supermarkets will do this, but the butcher and the fishmonger will not. Foods mixed together are not factored in; still it's a big step towards helping people eat more locally and to avoid contaminated foods.
