{"formats":[{"name":"JSON","format":"json","url":"\/downloads\/2026\/code-json\/3.2-5127.json"},{"name":"Plain Text","format":"text","url":"\/downloads\/2026\/code-text\/3.2-5127.txt"},{"name":"XML","format":"xml","url":"\/downloads\/2026\/code-xml\/3.2-5127.xml"},{"name":"HTML","format":"html","url":"\/downloads\/2026\/code-html\/3.2-5127.html"}],"law_id":357954,"edition_id":2,"section_id":357954,"structure_id":51200,"section_number":"3.2-5127","catch_line":"Removal of certain labels from meat packaging prohibited; penalty","history":"1993, c. 106, \u00a7 3.1-388.1; 2008, c. 860.","full_text":"It is unlawful for any person holding or offering for retail sale any meat, poultry, or seafood in packaged form who affixes to such food a label containing a date by which such food is to be sold, to willfully remove, alter, mutilate, destroy, or obscure the dated portion of the label on the package, unless the dated portion of the label is removed in connection with the repackaging of such food, or to correct bona fide typographical errors. If the dated portion of the label is removed and a replacement label is attached when such food is repackaged, the replacement label shall bear the original date by which the food is to be sold or an earlier date. Any person who violates any provision of this section is guilty of a Class 3 misdemeanor.\n\nThis section shall not apply to meat, poultry, or seafood that is canned or cured.\n\n","order_by":null,"text":{"0":{"id":1332137,"text":"It is unlawful for any person holding or offering for retail sale any meat, poultry, or seafood in packaged form who affixes to such food a label containing a date by which such food is to be sold, to willfully remove, alter, mutilate, destroy, or obscure the dated portion of the label on the package, unless the dated portion of the label is removed in connection with the repackaging of such food, or to correct bona fide typographical errors. If the dated portion of the label is removed and a replacement label is attached when such food is repackaged, the replacement label shall bear the original date by which the food is to be sold or an earlier date. Any person who violates any provision of this section is guilty of a Class 3 misdemeanor.","type":"section","prefixes":[""],"prefix":"","entire_prefix":"","prefix_anchor":"","level":1,"next_prefix":""},"1":{"id":1332138,"text":"This section shall not apply to meat, poultry, or seafood that is canned or cured.","type":"section","prefixes":[""],"prefix":"","entire_prefix":"","prefix_anchor":"","level":1,"prior_prefix":""}},"ancestry":[{"id":51200,"edition_id":2,"name":"Adulteration, Misbranding, and False Advertising","identifier":"3","label":"article","depth":4,"order_by":3,"parent_id":51197,"metadata":{"child_laws":10,"child_structures":0},"date_created":"2026-08-02 02:38:56","date_modified":"2026-08-02 12:27:40","permalink":{"id":1424215,"object_type":"structure","relational_id":51200,"identifier":"3","token":"3.2\/IV\/51\/3","url":"\/3.2\/IV\/51\/3\/","edition_id":2,"permalink":0,"preferred":1}},{"id":51197,"edition_id":2,"name":"Food and Drink","identifier":"51","label":"chapter","depth":3,"order_by":1,"parent_id":51196,"metadata":{"child_laws":54,"child_structures":5},"date_created":"2026-08-02 02:38:54","date_modified":"2026-08-02 12:27:40","permalink":{"id":1424129,"object_type":"structure","relational_id":51197,"identifier":"51","token":"3.2\/IV\/51","url":"\/3.2\/IV\/51\/","edition_id":2,"permalink":0,"preferred":1}},{"id":51196,"edition_id":2,"name":"Food and Drink; Weights and Measures","identifier":"IV","label":"subtitle","depth":2,"order_by":4,"parent_id":51103,"metadata":{"child_laws":240,"child_structures":23},"date_created":"2026-08-02 02:38:54","date_modified":"2026-08-02 12:27:40","permalink":{"id":1424127,"object_type":"structure","relational_id":51196,"identifier":"IV","token":"3.2\/IV","url":"\/3.2\/IV\/","edition_id":2,"permalink":0,"preferred":1}},{"id":51103,"edition_id":2,"name":"Agriculture, Animal Care, and Food","identifier":"3.2","label":"title","depth":1,"order_by":5,"parent_id":null,"metadata":{"child_laws":1194,"child_structures":151},"date_created":"2026-08-02 02:37:33","date_modified":"2026-08-02 12:27:27","permalink":{"id":1420941,"object_type":"structure","relational_id":51103,"identifier":"3.2","token":"3.2","url":"\/3.2\/","edition_id":2,"permalink":0,"preferred":1}}],"structure_contents":[{"id":357946,"structure_id":51200,"section_number":"3.2-5120","catch_line":"Definitions","url":"\/3.2-5120\/","token":"3.2\/IV\/51\/3\/3.2-5120","metadata":false},{"id":357947,"structure_id":51200,"section_number":"3.2-5121","catch_line":"Authority to adopt regulations; conformity with federal regulations; hearings; enforcement of article; review of regulations","url":"\/3.2-5121\/","token":"3.2\/IV\/51\/3\/3.2-5121","metadata":false},{"id":357948,"structure_id":51200,"section_number":"3.2-5122","catch_line":"Adulterated food","url":"\/3.2-5122\/","token":"3.2\/IV\/51\/3\/3.2-5122","metadata":false},{"id":357949,"structure_id":51200,"section_number":"3.2-5123","catch_line":"Misbranded food","url":"\/3.2-5123\/","token":"3.2\/IV\/51\/3\/3.2-5123","metadata":false},{"id":357950,"structure_id":51200,"section_number":"3.2-5124","catch_line":"Labeling as kosher and halal; penalty","url":"\/3.2-5124\/","token":"3.2\/IV\/51\/3\/3.2-5124","metadata":false},{"id":357952,"structure_id":51200,"section_number":"3.2-5125","catch_line":"Poisonous or deleterious substance added to food","url":"\/3.2-5125\/","token":"3.2\/IV\/51\/3\/3.2-5125","metadata":false},{"id":357951,"structure_id":51200,"section_number":"3.2-5125.1","catch_line":"(Effective January 1, 2026) Baby Food Protection Act; testing and labeling requirements for toxic heavy metals","url":"\/3.2-5125.1\/","token":"3.2\/IV\/51\/3\/3.2-5125.1","metadata":false},{"id":357953,"structure_id":51200,"section_number":"3.2-5126","catch_line":"Prohibited acts; exceptions; Commissioner may seek injunction; penalties","url":"\/3.2-5126\/","token":"3.2\/IV\/51\/3\/3.2-5126","metadata":false},{"id":357954,"structure_id":51200,"section_number":"3.2-5127","catch_line":"Removal of certain labels from meat packaging prohibited; penalty","url":"\/3.2-5127\/","token":"3.2\/IV\/51\/3\/3.2-5127","metadata":false},{"id":357955,"structure_id":51200,"section_number":"3.2-5128","catch_line":"Duty of attorney for the Commonwealth when violation reported; Commissioner to give notice","url":"\/3.2-5128\/","token":"3.2\/IV\/51\/3\/3.2-5128","metadata":false}],"previous_section":{"id":357953,"structure_id":51200,"section_number":"3.2-5126","catch_line":"Prohibited acts; exceptions; Commissioner may seek injunction; penalties","url":"\/3.2-5126\/","token":"3.2\/IV\/51\/3\/3.2-5126","metadata":false},"next_section":{"id":357955,"structure_id":51200,"section_number":"3.2-5128","catch_line":"Duty of attorney for the Commonwealth when violation reported; Commissioner to give notice","url":"\/3.2-5128\/","token":"3.2\/IV\/51\/3\/3.2-5128","metadata":false},"metadata":false,"official_url":"https:\/\/law.lis.virginia.gov\/vacode\/3.2-5127\/","history_text":"

This law was first created in 1993. The record of its establishment is cataloged in chapter 106 of that year\u2019s edition of \u201cActs of Assembly,\u201d the annual state publication listing all changes made to the Code of Virginia in that year. Unfortunately, the 1993 \u201cActs\u201d aren\u2019t available online. It has been modified 1 time. Those modifications are cataloged by \u201cThe Acts of Assembly,\u201d a state publication, by year and chapter. Those modifications that can be read on the General Assembly\u2019s website will be linked accordingly. That modification is as follows: in 2008, chapter 860<\/a>.<\/p>","references":false,"refers_to":false,"permalink":{"id":1424249,"object_type":"law","relational_id":357954,"identifier":"3.2-5127","token":"3.2\/IV\/51\/3\/3.2-5127","url":"\/3.2-5127\/","edition_id":2,"permalink":0,"preferred":1},"url":"\/3.2-5127\/","token":"3.2\/IV\/51\/3\/3.2-5127","dublin_core":{"Title":"Removal of certain labels from meat packaging prohibited; penalty","Type":"Text","Format":"text\/html","Identifier":"\u00a7 3.2-5127","Relation":"Code of Virginia"},"html":"\n\t\t\t\t\t\t

It is unlawful for any person holding or offering for retail sale any meat, poultry, or seafood in packaged form who affixes to such food<\/span> a label<\/span> containing a date by which such food<\/span> is to be sold, to willfully remove, alter, mutilate, destroy, or obscure the dated portion of the label<\/span> on the package, unless the dated portion of the label<\/span> is removed in connection with the repackaging of such food<\/span>, or to correct bona fide typographical errors. If the dated portion of the label<\/span> is removed and a replacement label<\/span> is attached when such food<\/span> is repackaged, the replacement label<\/span> shall bear the original date by which the food<\/span> is to be sold or an earlier date. Any person who violates any provision of this section is guilty of a Class 3 misdemeanor<\/span>.<\/p>

This section shall not apply to meat, poultry, or seafood that is canned or cured.<\/p><\/section>","plain_text":" CODE OF VIRGINIA\n\nREMOVAL OF CERTAIN LABELS FROM MEAT PACKAGING PROHIBITED; PENALTY (\u00a7 3.2-5127)\n\nIt is unlawful for any person holding or offering for retail sale any meat,\npoultry, or seafood in packaged form who affixes to such food a label containing\na date by which such food is to be sold, to willfully remove, alter, mutilate,\ndestroy, or obscure the dated portion of the label on the package, unless the\ndated portion of the label is removed in connection with the repackaging of such\nfood, or to correct bona fide typographical errors. If the dated portion of the\nlabel is removed and a replacement label is attached when such food is\nrepackaged, the replacement label shall bear the original date by which the food\nis to be sold or an earlier date. Any person who violates any provision of this\nsection is guilty of a Class 3 misdemeanor.\n\nThis section shall not apply to meat, poultry, or seafood that is canned or\ncured.\n\nHISTORY: 1993, c. 106, \u00a7 3.1-388.1; 2008, c. 860.","edition":{"id":2,"name":"2026","slug":"2026","date_created":"2026-07-16 18:40:23","date_modified":"2026-08-02 15:14:36","current":1,"order_by":2,"last_import":"2026-08-02 12:37:30"}}