Political Scene

HOUSE

Lawmaker to retire, citing health

BUFFALO, N.Y. | Rep. Eric Massa, a freshman Democrat from New York, says he will retire because of health reasons.

Mr. Massa told reporters of his decision on a conference call Wednesday.

He was elected in 2008, defeating Republican Rep. Randy Kuhl in a district long dominated by Republicans.

Mr. Massa was stricken with non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma in 1996. He underwent aggressive treatment and stayed on as an aide to retired Gen. Wesley K. Clark, a presidential candidate in 2004.

FDA

Stricter standards applied to labels

The Food and Drug Administration is cracking down on baby-food manufacturers and other companies for misleading nutrition labeling on their products, the beginning of a larger effort to set stricter standards for the labels.

The FDA sent warning letters to 17 food companies - including Nestle, which produces Gerber’s baby food - for violations it says include unauthorized claims about health, nutrient contents and terms such as “healthy.”

The agency rapped Nestle for making health claims on Gerber carrots for babies and Gerber Graduates puffs because “appropriate dietary levels have not been established for children in this age range,” according to the warning letters. The puffs containers claim that the product is a “good source of iron, zinc and Vitamin E.”

Several other companies that produce baby food, such as Beech-Nut, First Juice Inc., Want Want Foods and PBM Products, received similar letters.

The agency said in October that nutritional labels from food manufacturers may be misleading consumers about the actual health benefits of cereal, crackers and other processed foods and sent a letter to companies saying it would begin cracking down on inaccurate food labeling. On Wednesday, the agency said it will soon propose new guidelines for calorie and nutrient labeling on the front of food packages.

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