In a victory for the restaurant industry, New Jersey recently joined Oregon, Massachusetts and Nassau County, N.Y., in acknowledging that the new federal menu-labeling law preempts state and local mandates not identical to the federal standard.

Because of the new federal law, New Jersey officials notified the New Jersey Restaurant Association and others that the state will not implement state menu-labeling rules set to take effect Jan. 1.

The federal legislation specifically preempts all state and local laws not identical to federal rules governing calorie and other nutrition data-posting requirements on menus in covered chain restaurants.

Maine also gave strong indication this week that it will not enforce its state law due to take effect Feb. 1. The Maine Restaurant Association reports that the state is looking to bring its enforcement in line with the Food and Drug Administration's enforcement of the federal law. The FDA has not yet begun to enforce the federal law.