Bill May Undo States' Rules on Safe Food

By MARIAN BURROS

WASHINGTON, Feb. 28 — The House is expected to vote Thursday on a bill that would pre-empt all state food safety regulations that are more stringent than federal standards.

The measure would require uniformity on warning labels and set standards that would affect a wide variety of state regulations.

According to the National Uniformity for Food Coalition, whose members include trade associations, supermarket chains and food manufacturers, different laws in different states confuse consumers. "The citizens of all states deserve the same level of food safety," the coalition's Web site says. "Food cannot be safe in one state and unsafe in another."