Category: Issue 391
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Florida Court Denies Motion to Dismiss Polluted Frozen Vegetable Suit
A Florida court has reportedly denied the motion to dismiss filed by organic and natural foods grocery chain Whole Foods Market in a case alleging that the company sold frozen vegetables harvested in a polluted area by the forced labor of Chinese prisoners. Se. Consumer Alliance Inc. v. Whole Foods Market Group Inc., No. 2009-92727-CA-01…
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Taco Bell® Calls on Law Firm to Apologize for Dropped Lawsuit
Taco Bell® has launched a nationwide public relations campaign calling for an apology from the law firm that voluntarily dismissed a lawsuit alleging that the company misrepresented the beef filling in its taco and burrito products. Obney v. Taco Bell Corp., No. 11-00101 (C.D. Cal., notice of dismissal filed April 18, 2011). Additional information about the…
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Federal Prosecutors Settle Charges Against Beef Exporters
U.S. attorneys in New York have reportedly secured court approval of a consent decree with three companies that allegedly exported meat containing vertebral column to Japan in violation of U.S. trade requirements. The settlement resolves an action filed in March 2011 alleging that the companies exported veal containing ineligible bone and tissue fragments, which action…
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McDonald’s Seeks Dismissal of Happy Meal Lawsuit
McDonald’s Corp. has filed a motion to dismiss a putative class action seeking to stop the company from advertising and selling to children its allegedly “unhealthy Happy Meals” with toys. Parham v. McDonald’s Corp., No. 11-00511 (N.D. Cal., motion filed April 18, 2011). Details about the lawsuit appear in Issue 375 of this Update. The…
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State AGs Warn Pabst Brewing About Selling “Binge in a Can”
Maryland’s attorney general (AG), joined by the AGs of 17 states and the territory of Guam, have expressed to Pabst Brewing Co. concerns over the company’s “new flavored malt beverage, Blast by Colt 45,” characterizing it as a “flavored ‘binge in a can.’” In his April 21, 2011, letter, Attorney General Douglas Gansler alleges that…
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Sweden Moves Toward BPA Ban in Can Linings
Swedish government officials have reportedly asked food processors and packaging companies to submit alternatives to bisphenol A (BPA) in food and beverage can linings. The Swedish Chemicals Agency and the National Food Administration want the companies to submit plans by the end of 2011 and manufacturers to outline when BPA alternatives would be available to…
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ENVI Recommends New Food Labeling Legislation
The European Parliament’s Environment, Public Health and Food Safety Committee (ENVI) has reportedly amended draft legislation “to ensure that labels are legible, do not mislead, and provide the information that consumers need to make choices.” According to an April 19, 2011, press release, ENVI members have passed draft legislation “that aims to modernize, simplify and clarify”…
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EPA Excludes Milk, Milk Products from Oil Spill Regulations
EPA has issued a final rule exempting milk, milk product containers and milk production equipment from Oil Spill Prevention, Control and Countermeasure (SPCC) regulations. Effective June 17, 2011, the rule could potentially save the milk and dairy industries more than $140 million a year by eliminating “unnecessary burdens,” according to EPA. Implemented in the 1970s…