FDA Says Hydrogenated Oils Not Safe; “Farm-to-Table” Brewing Industry is Catching on

The food and Drug Administration announced Tuesday that partially hydrogenated oils are not “generally recognized as safe” for use in human food.” In 2013, the FDA made a tentative determination the oils could no longer be considered safe. FDA finalized that determination after a review of the scientific evidence and after considering public comments. Between 2003 and 2012, the FDA estimates that consumer trans-fat consumption decreased about 78 percent and that the labeling rule and industry reformulation of foods were key factors in informing healthier consumer choices.

The brewing industry is catching on to “farm-to-table” marketing. A growing number of brewers are using the term “farm-to-glass” beers, creating IPAs and sour ales with products grown in neighboring fields. States like Maryland allow “farm-to-glass” brewing operations to brew up to 15,000 barrels of beer a year, as long as that beer is made with Maryland agricultural products, such as hops or barley. Virginia passed a similar law in 2014, easing the path for farm breweries to open on land zoned for agricultural, because the act of brewing beer is considered manufacturing.