Food & Beverage Litigation & Regulatory Update

Category: Issue 561

  • FWW Report Examines “Controversial” Animal Drugs

    Food & Water Watch (FWW) has released an April 2015 report alleging that the scientific research used by federal agencies to evaluate animal drug safety “is very heavily influenced by corporate drug companies.” In particular, the report alleges that there were “virtually no independent, peer-reviewed” safety studies on one drug used as a growth promoter…

  • EWG Launches Campaign Against Foods Containing Propylparaben

    An Environmental Working Group (EWG) investigation has reportedly concluded that 49 processed snack foods contain propylparaben, a preservative commonly found in cosmetic products. In light of its findings and various studies allegedly linking exposure to the chemical to decreased fertility and other hormone-related issues, EWG is urging the U.S. Food and Drug Administration to reconsider…

  • Dutch Trader Jailed for Falsifying Documents in Horsemeat Scandal

    A Dutchman has reportedly been sentenced to jail after authorities determined that his companies sold at least 336 metric tons of horsemeat labeled as beef in 2013. Willy Selten will serve 2.5 years for forging invoices, labels and declarations and using forged documents to sell meat. The court judgment apparently determined that Selten “contributed to…

  • Busch® Beer Not A “Product of U.S.A.,” Suit Alleges

    Two consumers have filed a putative class action against Anheuser-Busch in California state court alleging that the company misuses the “Product of U.S.A.” claim on Busch® beer cans because the product is brewed with imported hops. Nixon v. Anheuser-Busch Cos., LLC, No. 15-544985 (Cal. Super. Ct., San Francisco Cty., filed March 27, 2015). The complaint…

  • U.S. Government Sues Wholesome Soy Products over Listeria Outbreak

    Attorneys in the U.S. Department of Justice and U.S. Department of Health and Human Services have filed a lawsuit against Wholesome Soy Products to permanently enjoin the company, its owner and manager from causing food to become adulterated under the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act (FDCA) after government agencies allegedly linked the company’s facilities…

  • Groups Challenge Change to Organic Law’s Sunset Provision

    Several policy groups, including Food & Water Watch and the Center for Food Safety, have filed a lawsuit challenging a U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) procedural change in how ingredients are removed from the National List, a list of synthetics exempted from the Organic Foods Production Act (OFPA). Ctr. for Food Safety v. Vilsack, No.…

  • FTC Complaint Targets Fast-Food Ads in “Family-Friendly” YouTube Kids App

    A coalition of consumer groups led by the Center for Digital Democracy, Campaign for a Commercial-Free Childhood (CCFC) and Center for Science in the Public Interest have filed a complaint with the Federal Trade Commission (FTC), alleging that Google’s YouTube Kids application mixes “advertising and programming in ways that deceive young children, who, unlike adults,…

  • FDA Science Forum to Target Role of Scientific Research in Regulatory Decision Making

    The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) will host a public workshop titled “FDA Science Forum 2015” on May 27-28 in Silver Spring, Maryland. The focus of the event will be highlighting science conducted at FDA, the role that research plays in informing regulatory decision making and providing a forum for collaborations with external organizations.…