Neal Fortin
Director of the Institute for Food Laws & Regulations | Michigan State University
East Lansing, MI, UNITED STATES
An expert in food laws and regulation in the United States and International food laws.
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Biography
Neal Fortin is the Director of the Institute for Food Laws & Regulations at Michigan State University, and Professor in the Department of Food Science and Human Nutrition. He is also an Adjunct Professor at the Michigan State University College of Law. Mr. Fortin teaches the courses United States Food Law, International Food Law and is the author of Food Regulation: Law, Science, Policy, and Practice, 2nd ed.
Neal Fortin was the 2009 recipient of a Michigan State University Distinguished Faculty Award for his teaching in food safety. He is past President of the North Central Association of Food & Drug Officials. He served as a Commissioner for the Michigan Local Public Health Accreditation Program, the Advisory Council of the Michigan Community Health Leadership Institute, and the NSF Council of Public Health Consultants. He served on the Dietary Supplement Committee of the Food and Drug Law Institute. He has been a curriculum advisor to the International Food Protection Training Institute and the University of Catalonia. He is an emeritus member of the Association of Food and Drug Officials, the Food and Drug Law Institute, a professional member of the Institute of Food Technologists, and the State Bar of Michigan.
Industry Expertise (3)
Writing and Editing
Education/Learning
Food Production
Areas of Expertise (2)
Food Regulation
Foods Laws
Education (3)
Michigan State University College of Law: J.D.
Newman University: B.S.
University of Michigan: B.S.
Links (1)
News (2)
Allena Myers: Keeping Our Food Safe
MSU Today online
2018-01-01
I initially learned about the food law classes when I took the course Food Regulation in the United States, taught by current IFLR director Neal Fortin, as an elective. In 2004, the master’s degree in food safety was offered, so I planned to gain industry experience and virtually return to MSU for the program in the future. [...]
Global Food Law Program
MSU Today online
2017-05-15
“Understanding global food law can prevent costly regulatory mistakes, such as putting an unacceptable food additive on the market or mislabeling a product,” said Neal Fortin, director of the Global Food Law Program. “In addition, recognizing how such laws impact the flow of food and agricultural products across boundaries can help a company expand its global market.” [...]
Journal Articles (2)
The FDA's Guidance on Dietary Supplement Naming and the Emperor's New Clothes
Journal of Food Law & PolicyNeal Fortin
2017 In 2016 the FDA revised the agency’s guidance on dietary supplement labeling. This modification permits the term “dietary supplement” be the entire statement of identity for a dietary supplement. This is an error in the interpretation of the plain language of the Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act, the plain language of 21 C.F.R. § 101.3(g); and does not comport with numerous rules of statutory interpretation. Moreover, this change violates the Administrative Procedures Act and the FDA’s rules on notice and comment. This change is a disguised rescission of 21 C.F.R. § 101.3(g) without a proper opportunity for the public to be heard under notice and comment rulemaking.
Food fraud prevention: Policy, strategy, and decision-making–implementation steps for a government agency or industry
CHIMIA International Journal for ChemistryJohn Spink, Neal D Fortin, Douglas C Moyer, Hong Miao, Yongning Wu
2016 This paper addresses the role of governments, industry, academics, and non-governmental organizations in Food Fraud prevention. Before providing strategic concepts for governments and authorities, definitions of Food Fraud are reviewed and discussed. Next there is a review of Food Fraud activities by the Global Food Safety Initiative (GFSI), the Elliott Review in the United Kingdom, the European Commission resolution on Food Fraud, and the US Food Safety Modernization Act including the Preventative Controls Rule. Two key concepts for governments or a company are: (1) formally, and specifically, mention food fraud as a food issue and (2) create an enterprise-wide Food Fraud prevention plan. The research includes a case study of the implementation of the concepts by a state or provincial agency. This analysis provides a foundation to review the role of science and technology in detection, deterrence and then contributing to prevention.
