Food & Agr. Code, § 18691

Meat, meat food products, poultry, and poultry products are an important source of the nation’s total supply of food. It is essential in the public interest that the health and welfare of consumers be protected by assuring that meat, meat food products, slaughtered poultry, and poultry products, distributed to them are wholesome, not adulterated, and properly marked, labeled, and packaged. Unwholesome, adulterated, or misbranded meat, meat food products, poultry, or poultry products, are injurious to the public welfare, destroy markets for wholesome, not adulterated and properly labeled and packaged meat, meat food products, poultry, and poultry products, and result in sundry losses to livestock and poultry producers and processors of meat, meat food products, poultry, and poultry products, as well as injury to consumers. Unwholesome, adulterated, mislabeled, or deceptive packaged articles can be sold at lower prices and compete unfairly with wholesome, not adulterated, and properly labeled and packaged articles, to the detriment of consumers and the public generally. It is hereby found that regulation by the director and cooperation by this state and the United States as contemplated by this chapter are appropriate to protect the health and welfare of consumers and otherwise effectuate the purposes of this chapter.