Category: Issue 614

  • Study Claims Carrageenan Causes No Adverse Effects

    A study commissioned by the International Food Additives Council (IFAC) has claimed that when used as a gelling or thickening agent in foods, carrageenan (CGN) causes no adverse effects in human cells. James McKim, Jr., et al., “Effects of carrageenan on cell permeability, cytotoxicity, and cytokine gene expression in human intestinal and hepatic cell lines,”…

  • Ad Board Recommends Kellogg Adjust Fruit Snacks Packaging

    The Children’s Advertising Review Unit (CARU) has advised Kellogg Co. to revise the packaging for Fruit Flavored Snacks, recommending against statements that the product is “made with real fruit.” The front of the package featured cartoon characters and the statement “made with real fruit” superimposed on the image of an apple. The side panel clarified…

  • Tasty Burger Threatens Infringement Action Against Chipotle’s “Tasty Made” Burger Concept

    Restaurant chain Tasty Burger has reportedly threatened to file an infringement action against Chipotle Mexican Grill Inc. following the announcement of Chipotle’s new burger restaurant concept, Tasty Made. Tasty Burger argues that Tasty Made’s name and logo infringe upon Tasty Burger’s established marks, which have been used in commerce since 2010; in addition to the…

  • Quaker Oats Maple Suit Transferred to California

    A New Jersey federal court has transferred to California a lawsuit alleging that The Quaker Oats Co. misleads consumers with the packaging of its Maple & Brown Sugar oatmeal product because it does not contain maple syrup or maple sugar. Gates v. Quaker Oats Co., No. 16-1944 (D.N.J., order entered August 3, 2016). The complaint…

  • Alabama Board to Consider Proposed Beer Purchasing Rule with Privacy Implications

    The Alabama Alcoholic Beverage Control Board (ABC) will reportedly vote on a proposed rule requiring brewers to collect personal information from purchasers of beer for off-premises consumption. The proposed rule, which requires gathering a customer’s name, address, age and phone number, follows a rule enacted June 1 allowing craft breweries to sell six-packs, large bottles…

  • FDA Extends Vending Machine Labeling Deadlines for Certain Food Products

    The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has extended until July 26, 2018, the deadline for posting the calorie counts of “certain gums, mints, and roll candy products” sold in glass-front vending machines, as well as for complying with type-size front-of-pack (FOP) labeling requirements. Published December 1, 2014, and effective December 1, 2016, the final…