The Louisiana Department of Health must enforce milk identity rules to stop plant-based products from being mislabeled as milk, and this section defines milk and sets composition rules for packaged beverage milk.
PART VII. MILK, MILK PRODUCTS, AND SUBSTITUTES SUBPART A. MILK LABELING LAW §881. Labeling of milk products; prohibition; definition; enforcement A. The Louisiana Department of Health shall enforce the United States Food and Drug Administration's standard of identity for milk, as set forth in 21 CFR 131.110, the Pasteurized Milk Ordinance, and the provisions of this Section to prohibit the sale of plant-based products mislabeled as milk. B. For purposes of this Section, "milk" means the lacteal secretion, practically free from colostrum, obtained by the complete milking of one or more healthy cows. Milk that is in its final packaged form for beverage use shall have been pasteurized, ultra-pasteurized, or aseptically processed and shall contain not less than eight and one-quarter percent milk solids not fat and not less than three and one-quarter percent milk fat. Milk may have been adjusted by separating part of the milk fat therefrom or by adding thereto cream, concentrated milk, concentrated low fat milks, dry milk, or dry low fat milks. Milk may be homogenized. Water shall not be added to milk or any ingredient used in milk. Milk may be flavored with safe and suitable flavoring ingredients approved by the state health officer. The word "milk" shall be interpreted to include goat, sheep, water buffalo, camel milk, and the milk of other hooved mammals. C. Enforcement of this Section shall commence upon enforcement of the standard of identity for milk by the United States Food and Drug Administration. D. The provisions of this Section shall not apply to breast milk. Acts 2019, No. 184, §1.