Category: Issue 554
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“Natural Source of Antioxidants” Not a Nutrient-Content Claim, Court Says
An Arkansas federal court has dismissed with prejudice a putative class action alleging that Twinings North America, Inc. mislabeled its tea by including the statement that the product is a “natural source of antioxidants” on its packaging. Craig v. Twinings North Am., Inc., No. 14-5214 (W.D. Ark., order entered February 5, 2015). The plaintiff had argued…
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California to Appeal Federal Ruling Overturning Foie Gras Ban
The office of California Attorney General Kamala Harris will appeal the January 2015 decision overturning the state’s ban on foie gras, according to a notice of appeal filed in California federal court. Association des Éleveurs de Canards et d’Oies du Québec v. Harris, No. 12 5735 (U.S. Dist. Ct., C.D. Cal., notice of appeal filed February…
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European Ombudsman Censures EFSA over Conflict of Interest Rules
The European Ombudsman has issued a January 28, 2015, decision directing the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) to revise its conflict-of-interest rules after the agency “failed to ensure that those experts who work in academia declare all relevant information to EFSA.” Stemming from a complaint filed by GeneWatch, the decision focused on an EFSA working…
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ICE and CBP Seize Chinese Honey Worth $2.45 Million
U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and Homeland Security Investigations and Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officers have reportedly confiscated since October 2014 about 450,000 pounds of honey produced in China but falsely declared to be from Latvia on import documents. Chinese honey has been subject to a high import tax—currently 221 percent—since 2001, when…
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FDA Extends Deadline for Comments on Expanding the Redbook
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has extended the deadline for public comments about whether to expand the products included in its guidance titled “Toxicological Principles for the Safety Assessment of Food Ingredients”—also known as the “Redbook.” The agency is apparently considering this expansion “to include chemical safety assessments for all products over which…
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FDA Extends Closing Date for Food Advisory Committee Nominations
The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has extended until February 27, 2015, the deadline for submitting materials related to (i) nominations for a non-voting industry representative to serve on the Food Advisory Committee and (ii) statements from organizations interested in participating in the selection process for the non-voting committee member. The Food Advisory Committee evaluates…
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CDC Reports First Cases of Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza
According to the February 3, 2015, issue of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s (CDC’s) Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report, the U.S. Department of Agriculture has reported the first cases of highly pathogenic avian influenza A (HPAI) in wild or domestic birds found in the United States. Of the 14 recorded incidents, seven were…