- We have previously blogged about NYC’s updated Food Standards for foods and beverages which go into effect July 1, 2026. NYC’s Food Standards were first introduced in 2008 and are now mandated to be updated every three years. The Food Standards apply to meals served by agencies such as the Department of Education, Health and Hospitals, Department of Correction, and Human Resources Administration among others. The updated Food Standards would, among other things, change nutritional requirements, ban certain additives, and eliminate processed meats.
- The National Chicken Council (NCC) sent a letter to NYC mayor Eric Adams earlier this month expressing concerns that the updated Food Standards might eliminate products such as chicken nuggets and patties which it argues provide high quality nutrition in a form which is palatable to children. The letter argues that a “process-first definition of ‘healthy’ overlooks what truly matters: nutrient composition.”
- The letter concludes by requesting “administrative clarification” confirming that “formed and breaded poultry products meeting New York City’s nutrient and additive standards remain eligible for purchase and service.” The Food Standards define “processed meat” as “meat that has been transformed to enhance flavor or improve preservation” by curing, fermentation, salting, or smoking.
