ABOUT: RL FOOD TESTING LABORATORY

RL Foodtesting Laboratory has over 30 years of biochemistry and Food Science experience. RL Food Testing Laboratory has assisted numerous food manufacturers, both foreign and domestic, with their nutritional analysis needs. We have handled numerous requests ranging from simple nutrition facts labels to assisting clients with their recipe modifications to meet certain dietary benchmarks. Our clients receive 24 hour turnaround and usually same day service. We have also conducted laboratory analysis of our client’s competitor products to verify ingredient statements. This has been helpful in providing factual independent data to retail buyers as it relates to ingredient statement.

Our company is a member of the Institute of Food Technologists, National Restaurant Association and Food Broker USA. We look forward to hearing from you and welcome your food challenge.
Our consulting staff includes two Ph.D. in Food Development R&D and Microbiology with twenty-five years experience for major American and Swiss food manufacturers.

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Sharon Vessels
714-306-2937

RL FOODTESTING LABORATORY EASES RESTAURANTS INTO A HEALTHIER NEW YEAR
Menu Labeling Packages Help Restaurants Comply with California Senate Bill 1420

CALABASAS, CA – January 5, 2009 - RL Foodtesting Laboratory is introducing menu labeling packages to help restaurants comply with the new California Senate Bill 1420. As mandated by SB1420, all chain restaurants with 20 or more locations of the same name must list key nutritional facts on menu items by July 1, 2009. The first phase begins on July 1, 2009 and stipulates that restaurants must provide a brochure placed at the point of sale that includes at least calories, sodium, saturated fat, and carbohydrates information per menu item.

"Consumers are taking more responsibility for their nutrition, and their need to know the basic nutritional content of their food intake has now been made clear by California lawmakers passing Senate Bill 1420,” says Roger Legg, senior chemist for RL Foodtesting Laboratory. "Though the restaurant industry has faced tough pressure from consumers that want to know what they are eating, RL Foodtesting Laboratory's compliance packages will help them to easily meet these demands."

RL Foodtesting Laboratory offers two compliance packages to assist restaurants in the transition to comply with new legislation requiring the measure and publication of specific nutrition facts based on their published menus or menu boards.

RL Food Testing’s Level 1 Compliance Package includes the full nutrition analysis of menu items and data provided to the restaurant owners in an easy to read excel file. The charge for this service depends on the complexity of the menu items, and price per menu item starts at $25 each. The Level 2 Full Compliance Package includes all nutrition analysis and data plus graphic artist collaboration to comply with strict messaging requirements required at point of sale to communicate the nutrition data for their customers. This package starts at $40 per menu item.

California Senate Bill 1420 Details
In a statewide poll, Californians voted 84% in favor of requiring restaurants to publish nutrition information in a point of purchase location. Excerpts from the actual legislation indicate the following:

“Requires caloric content to be provided for standard menu items on menus and menu boards. For display case items, the information may be listed on a “menu tag” – such as pastries under glass at a Starbucks.
SB 1420 applies to chain restaurants with 20 or more locations. In California, over 17,000 restaurants will be affected by SB 1420
To coincide with the Trans Fat ban, the bill will be phased-in with full implementation January 1, 2011. Restaurants are not prohibited from providing this information sooner, and we believe that some restaurants will skip the first phase and go straight to posting calories on menus and menu boards in 2009.
The first phase: From July 1, 2009 to December 31, 2010 restaurants must provide a brochure placed at the point of sale that includes at least calories, sodium, saturated fat, and carbohydrates information per menu item. For sit-down restaurants, the information must be provided at the table. Drive-thrus are required to have the brochures available upon request and have a notice of the availability at the point of sale.
Second phase: By January 1, 2011, calories must be listed on menus and menu boards next to the menu item. Drive-thrus shall continue to have a brochure available upon request and must have a notice that the information is available.
Calorie information may be provided per serving for family meals and family meal combos intended for more than one person.
California will become the first state in the nation to adopt a statewide menu labeling ordinance and this will allow for statewide implementation in a reasonably short period of time. This bill would supercede and replace any existing or future local ordinances related to the provision of nutritional information.”

With over 25 years of microbiological and pharmacology experience, RL Foodtesting Laboratories has been helping food and pet food manufacturers, restaurant owners, local state and foreign agencies and culinary institutes with their laboratory analysis of food products. Most orders are turned around in less than 24 hours. RL Foodtesting Laboratory has clients that range in geography from Australia to Jordan and boasts hundreds of US based clients as well. RL Foodtesting Laboratory can be found online at http://www.rlfoodtestinglaboratory.com or 949.309.0105.

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