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 requirements for testing, including the submission of a detailed notice to the commissioner at least 30 days before the sale or distribution of a packaged food product. It also specifies that testing must occur every two years and that results must be made publicly available on the manufacturer's or brand owner's website.

Additionally, the bill requires that packaged food products 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 enforcement authority to take administrative actions or impose penalties if violations occur. Overall, this legislation aims to enhance consumer safety and transparency regarding the presence of ortho-phthalates in food products.

Statutes affected:
Introduction: 34A.01