A 5084 — Requires label or indication of food that contains animal cell-cultivated product.

A5084 1R [First Reprint] ASSEMBLY, No.

  CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT      As introduced.reported by the Assembly Consumer Affairs Committee on June 4, 2026, with amendments.

            1.   1.   As used in this act:

          “Cell-cultivated food” means any cultured animal tissue produced from in vitro animal cell cultures outside of the organism from which it is derived to produce food or ingredients for food.food.        1“Commercial feed” means the same as that term is defined in subsection d.

 of     section 3 of P.L.1970, c.338 (C.4:4-20.3).1       “Food service business” means a business that sells or provides precooked meals or prepared food for immediate consumption on or off the premises and includes, but is not limited to, a restaurant, café, delicatessen, coffee shop, convenience store, grocery store, vending truck or cart, food truck, movie theater, or business or an institutional cafeteria, including those operated by or on behalf of a governmental entity.

          “Label” means a display of written, printed, or graphic matter that appears on the principal display panel of a food’s wrapper, container, or package, or that otherwise accompanies a food at the time of its distribution or sale.

          “Principal1“Pet displayfood” panel” means the sidesame ofas the food’s wrapper, container, or package that term is mostdefined likelyin tosubsection bet. displayed, presented, or shown under customary conditions of display for retail sale;

of section 3 of P.L.1970, c.338 (C.4:4-20.3).1      “Principal display panel” means the side of the food’s wrapper, container, or package that is most likely to be displayed, presented, or shown under customary conditions of display for retail sale;

            4.   4. Nothing in this act shall be construed to restrict or prohibit compliance with applicable federal law pertaining to the inspection, packaging, or labeling of food.

 a.1      Nothing 5.   in Thisthis act shall takebe effectconstrued onto therestrict firstor dayprohibit ofcompliance thewith 19thapplicable monthfederal nextlaw followingpertaining enactment,to except that the Commissionerinspection, ofpackaging, Healthor andlabeling the Secretary of Agriculturefood. may take anticipatory administrative action in advance as shall be necessary for the implementation of this act.

STATEMENT      1b.   The provisions of this act shall not apply to commercial feed, pet food, or a product regulated as animal food.1      5.    This billact establishesshall labelingtake standardseffect foron packagedthe cell-cultivatedfirst foodday productsof the 19th month next following enactment, except that the Commissioner of Health and requiresthe consumerSecretary notificationof byAgriculture foodmay servicetake businessesanticipatory whenadministrative offeringaction cell-cultivatedin food.advance as shall be necessary for the implementation of this act.

     Under the bill, “cell-cultivated food” is defined as any cultured animal tissue produced from in vitro animal cell cultures outside of the organism from which it is derived to produce food, or ingredients for food.

     The bill requires that packaged cell-cultivated food have a label on the front of the packaging indicating that the product is or contains cell-cultivated food and that the information is displayed conspicuously and understandably.  The bill provides specifications regarding the size and placement of the label.  The bill also requires food service businesses to indicate if a product offered contains cell-cultivated food.

 Under the bill, a “food service business” is a business that sells or provides pre-cooked or prepared food for immediate consumption, such as restaurants, cafes, delicatessens, coffee shops, convenience stores, grocery stores, vending trucks or carts, food trucks, movie theaters, and institutional cafeterias in businesses or governmental entities.       Finally, the bill requires the Department of Health (DOH), in consultation with the Department of Agriculture, to adopt rules and regulations necessary to implement the bill’s provisions.  These would include the creation of standards of measurement and qualification for packaged cell-cultivated food in raw, processed, and prepared foods, and standards for signage or notification for cell-cultivated food served by food service businesses.       A violation of the bill’s provisions would render a packaged or offered item to be deemed misbranded.  Purveyors of misbranded food items are subject to penalties for violating the State Sanitary Code (N.J.S.A.26:1A-10), which is enforced by the DOH.  Each violation of the State Sanitary Code constitutes a separate offense and is punishable by a penalty of not less than $50 and not more than $1,000 which may be recovered in a civil action in any court of competent jurisdiction by the State or a municipal board of health.