Category: Issue 378
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U.S. Supreme Court Seeks Government Views on California Animal-Handling Law
Seeking additional input before ruling on a certiorari petition, the U.S. Supreme Court has asked the acting solicitor general to provide the U.S. government’s view of a challenge to a California law that prohibits slaughterhouses from receiving, processing or selling nonambulatory animals and prohibits dragging or pushing downer animals. Nat’l Meat Ass’n v. Harris, No.…
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Chewing Gum Class Action Dismissed for Failing to State a Cause of Action
A federal court in Florida has dismissed without prejudice a putative class action alleging that the Wm. Wrigley Jr. Co. misled consumers by claiming that its Eclipse® Breeze chewing gum contains “Cardamom to Neutralize the Toughest Breath Odors.” Nichols v. Wm. Wrigley Jr. Co., No. 10-80759 (S.D. Fla., decided January 19, 2011). A similar lawsuit,…
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FSA Issues Draft Regulations for Food Additives
The U.K. Food Standards Agency (FSA) has issued draft regulations to implement two European directives setting specific purity criteria for four food additives and one sweetener. According to FSA, the new additives are E392 extracts of rosemary, E427 cassia gum, E961 neotame, E1203 polyvinyl alcohol, and E1521 polyethylene glycol. The draft regulations also amend “existing…
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EFSA Seeks Public Input on Risk Assessment Guidance for Nanomaterials in Food and Feed
The European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) has requested public comments on its draft “Guidance on risk assessment concerning potential risks arising from applications of nanoscience and nanotechnologies to food and feed.” The comment period closes February 25, 2011. The draft guidance outlines under what circumstances nanomaterials in food and animal feed should be tested for…
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FTC Finalizes First Case Alleging Deceptive Ads for Probiotics
The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) has announced that final approval was given to a settlement reached with a Nestlé S.A. subsidiary over claims that its children’s drink, BOOST Kid Essentials®, conferred specific health benefits, such as reducing the risk of colds and flu and reducing the duration of acute diarrhea. More information about the settlement…
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USDA Introduces “Biobased” Labels
The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has issued a final rule establishing a voluntary labeling program for “biobased” products made from renewable biological ingredients. Part of the USDA BioPreferred Program, which also administers procurement preferences for federal agencies, the labeling initiative applies to those products certified as containing a prescribed amount of renewable plant, animal,…
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Congressional Republicans Unhappy with GE Alfalfa EIS
Three congressional Republicans assert that the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has no authority to weigh economic factors in conducting an environmental review for genetically engineered (GE) alfalfa under the National Environmental Policy Act and the Plant Protection Act. In a January 19, 2011, letter submitted to USDA Secretary Tom Vilsack, they vilify him for…
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Obama Rolls Out Regulatory Reforms, Urges Action on Existing Burdensome Rules
President Barack Obama (D) has signed an executive order establishing principles for agencies to follow in adopting regulations addressing such matters as food safety, toxic chemicals, labor, energy, and the environment. The order also requires a review of existing regulations to eliminate or revise those “that may be outmoded, ineffective, insufficient, or excessively burdensome.” A…