This bill mandates that food manufacturers and brand owners in Minnesota must conduct testing for ortho-phthalates in packaged food products and report the results to the commissioner of agriculture. It introduces several new definitions, including "brand," "brand owner," "food manufacturer," "ortho-phthalates," "packaged food product," "universal product code (UPC)," and "UPC barcode," all of which will be effective from July 1, 2026. The bill outlines the specific information that must be included in the testing notice submitted to the commissioner, such as product details, testing results, and laboratory information. Additionally, it requires that testing be conducted every two years and that results be made publicly available on the manufacturer's or brand owner's website.

Furthermore, the bill stipulates that packaged food products must include a QR code or machine-readable code linking to the testing results, along with a statement directing consumers to scan the code for more information. The commissioner of agriculture is granted the authority to enforce compliance with these requirements and impose penalties for violations. Overall, the legislation aims to enhance consumer safety and transparency regarding the presence of ortho-phthalates in food products.

Statutes affected:
Introduction: 34A.01