Food & Beverage Litigation & Regulatory Update

Category: Issue 500

  • Discovery of New Botulism Toxin Prompts Bioterrorism Fears

    Two new studies recently published in the Journal of Infectious Diseases have reportedly identified for the first time in more than 40 years a new strain of Clostridium botulinum, prompting debate over whether the genetic sequences needed to reproduce the toxin should be made available to the public despite concerns that the information could pose a…

  • Study Claims Atmosphere Influences Whiskey Taste

    A recent study has concluded that multi-sensory environmental factors play an important role in how consumers perceive the taste of whiskey. Carlos Velasco, et al., “Assessing the influence of the multisensory environment on the whisky drinking experience,” Flavour, October 2013. Oxford University researchers apparently asked 441 volunteers to sample the same glass of whiskey while…

  • Mondelēz to Launch “Smart Shelves” in 2015

    Mondelēz International reportedly intends to introduce “smart shelves” whose sensors first identify the age and gender of grocery shoppers and then deliver targeted ads via video display. “Knowing that a consumer is showing interest in the product gives us the opportunity to engage with them in real-time,” Mondelēz CIO Mark Dajani said in a recent…

  • Facebook’s Decision to Relax Privacy Rules for Teenagers Under Fire

    Led by the Center for Digital Democracy (CDD), a coalition of public health, media, youth, and consumer advocacy groups has written a letter to the Federal Trade Commission (FTC), asking the agency to review Facebook’s recent decision to relax its privacy protections for teenage users. According to an October 20, 2013, press release, the letter…

  • Rudd Center/RWJF Examine Athletes’ Food Endorsements

    Yale University’s Rudd Center for Food Policy and Obesity and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation (RWJF) recently conducted a study concluding that “the majority of the food and beverage brands endorsed by professional athletes are for unhealthy products like sports beverages, soft drinks, and fast food.” Marie Bragg, et al., “Athlete Endorsements in Food Marketing,” Pediatrics,…

  • Jensen Brothers to Enter Guilty Pleas in Cantaloupe-Linked Listeria Outbreak

    Eric and Ryan Jensen, who own the Colorado cantaloupe farm linked to a deadly 2011 Listeria outbreak have reportedly indicated to a federal court that they intend to plead guilty to the criminal misdemeanor charges brought against them. Additional information about the charges appears in Issue 498 of this Update. The six misdemeanor charges of…

  • Non-Profit Sues NYC Mayor, Seeks Food Regulation Documents

    Keep Food Legal, a Washington, D.C.-based non-profit, has filed a petition under the New York Freedom of Information Law (FOIL), seeking an order compelling the office of New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg to respond to its allegedly unaddressed requests for “records and documents on various, proposed, or enjoined food-related regulations or policies to which…

  • New York High Court to Review NYC Soda-Size Restrictions

    According to a news source, the New York Court of Appeals, the state’s highest court, has agreed to hear New York City’s appeal of a decision striking down a board of health rule that would have imposed caps on the size of sugar-sweetened beverages sold at certain venues. Details about the intermediate appellate court opinion…