The purpose of this memorandum is to provide state agencies and program operators of the child nutrition programs, including the National School Lunch Program, School Breakfast Program, Child and Adult Care Food Program, and the Summer Food Service Program, with additional information and clarification on the state agency monitoring process regarding the: 1) Child nutrition label, 2) watermarked CN label, and 3) manufacturer’s Product Formulation Statement.

This memorandum provides guidance on crediting surimi seafood in the child nutrition programs, including the National School Lunch Program, School Breakfast Program, Child and Adult Care Food Program and Summer Food Service Program. Surimi seafood is a pasteurized, ready-to-eat, restructured seafood usually made from pollock (fish).

This memorandum informs stakeholders on the progress made by FNS in updating the food crediting system for all child nutrition programs. This is a first step towards improving the crediting system to best address today’s evolving food and nutrition environment and meet the needs of those operating and benefiting from the CNPs.

On Dec. 1, 2014, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Food and Drug Administration published the final rule, Food Labeling; Calorie Labeling of Articles of Food in Vending Machines, in the Federal Register.