Egg Labels Rejected

A federal appeals court has rejected a lawsuit that sought to require labels on egg cartons indicating the conditions in which the chickens were raised.  The 9^th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals ruled Monday that several federal agencies had acted reasonably in rejecting the labeling regulations.  The suit stems from two animal advocacy groups and six egg consumers who wanted the cartons to bear the terms “Free-Range Eggs,” ”Cage-Free Eggs” or “Eggs from Caged Hens.”  They argued that eggs from caged hens are nutritionally inferior and carry a greater risk of Salmonella contamination.

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration said evidence for those claims was not persuasive.

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