Category: FDA
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California Courts Wait for FDA Guidance in Two ECJ Cases
Following similar decisions from courts across the country, two California federal courts have delayed final rulings in cases accusing Kashi and Trader Joe’s of mislabeling their products by using the term “evaporated cane juice” (ECJ) in their ingredient lists rather than simply “sugar,” which the plaintiffs allege is the same substance. Gitson v. Trader Joe’s…
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Amended Food Additive Regulations to Allow for Additional Use of Vitamin D3
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has amended food additive regulations pertaining to the safe use of vitamin D3 in response to a petition from Abbott Laboratories. The company requested that FDA approve use of the fat-soluble hormone “as a nutrient supplement at levels not to exceed 500 IUs per 240 mL in meal replacement…
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FDA Issues Report on Antimicrobial Resistance
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has released an executive report summarizing the data collected by the National Antimicrobial Resistance Monitoring System (NARMS) since 1996. Implemented by FDA, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and the U.S. Department of Agriculture, NARMS tracks antibiotic resistance in foodborne bacteria, focusing on antibiotics “that are considered…
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FDA Seeks Comments on Estimated Time Burdens Related to Recalls
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) seeks public comments on the estimated time burdens relating to the extension of an existing information collection pertaining to the recalls of all FDA-regulated products (including food, animal feed, drugs, animal drugs, medical devices, cosmetics, biological products intended for human use, and tobacco). The estimates are based on…
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“Gluten-Free” Standards Take Effect
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) this week reminded consumers that “gluten-free” “now means what it says” after a final rule outlining the voluntary labeling standards took effect on August 5, 2014. According to FDA, the new standards stipulate that foods labeled “gluten-free,” “without gluten” or “no gluten” can contain gluten in amounts less…
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NEJM Article Questions Usefulness of Nutrient-Content Claims
A recent perspective article in the New England Journal of Medicine (NEJM) has questioned whether nutrient-content claims—such as “sugar-free,” “high in oat bran,” or “contains 100 calories”—are confusing to consumers. Authored by Allison Sylvetsky and William Dietz, the article claims that sugar- and calorie-related claims “may lead parents to underestimate the products’ energy content and…
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GM Salmon Debacle “A Taste of Worse to Come”?
A recent Nature editorial warns that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration’s (FDA’s) reluctance to approve genetically-modified (GM) salmon for market could hinder future research into new gene-editing techniques. Titled “Fishy Business,” the article claims that even though a draft assessment found AquaBounty Technologies’ GM salmon “environmentally benign,” FDA conducted many of its deliberations “behind…
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Health Experts Back “Added Sugar” Labeling
The Center for Science and Democracy at the Union of Concerned Scientists has submitted a comment backed by more than 280 health experts asking the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to include a percent daily value for the proposed “added sugars” declaration on food and beverage labeling. Responding to the agency’s request for comments…