As an FYI Scampi, FDA has jurisdiction over 80 percent of the food supply, including seafood, dairy and produce. USDA regulates meat, poultry and processed egg products, while FDA regulates all other food products.
Labeling Retained Water Products
Establishments will be required to include a retained water statement on labeling of raw, single-ingredient, whole, ground or cut-up meat or poultry products that retain water that is used in meeting food safety requirements during post-evisceration processing, e.g., chilling. Retained water is not regarded as intentionally added or as a product ingredient. However, the labeling of products with retained water must bear a prominent statement on the principal display panel disclosing the maximum amount of water, and how it got incorporated, e.g., "contains up to X% retained water," or "with X% absorbed water." The retained water statement must be prominently located on the principal display panel of the label and could be contiguous to the name of the product. Refer to Retained Water Sample Labels.
Prominence of the retained water statement is determined by several factors, including size of lettering in the statement compared with other lettering on the label, location of the statement, and color contrast between the lettering and the background. There is no specific letter size requirement for the percent-retained water statement.
Establishments having data or information to demonstrate that their products do not contain retained water will not be required to label the products with such a statement and could include a "no retained water" claim on the label. Processors can modify existing labels by use of pressure sensitive stickers or indelible ink rubber stamps bearing the percent-retained water statement or a "no retained water" claim. This type of label change is possible under the generic label approval regulations.
The generic labeling regulations 9 CFR 317.5 and 381.133 and the nutrition labeling regulations 9 CFR Part 317 Subpart B and Part 381 Subpart Y apply to retained water products as they do to other single-ingredient products.
Reference: http://www.fsis.usda..._guidelines.htm
