Category: Issue 717
-
Scotch-Production Rules Changing, Wall Street Journal Explains
The Scotch Whisky Association (SWA) will allow distillers to use a variety of casks—including those previously used to age tequila and fruit spirits—to age Scotch whisky during its required three-year maturation, according to the Wall Street Journal. Regulations previously limited acceptable casks to those previously used to hold sherry, cognac, bourbon or port. Some distillers…
-
Consumer Reports Finds LaCroix Unlicensed for Sale in Massachusetts
Seeking to obtain information on the ingredients in LaCroix, Consumer Reports apparently discovered that National Beverage Corp. had failed to obtain a permit sell its products in Massachusetts, which requires the submittal of water-quality tests. Consumer Reports notes, “The situation reveals an unusual quirk of food safety regulations: Federal and state regulations typically treat artificially…
-
Court Blames Bees in Manuka Honey Lawsuit Dismissal
A California federal court has dismissed with prejudice a lawsuit alleging that Trader Joe’s Co.’s “pure manuka honey” was “adulterated by the inclusion of cheaper honey.” Moore v. Trader Joe’s Co., No. 18-4418 (N.D. Cal., entered June 24, 2019). The court’s decision notes a transcript from oral argument in which the plaintiff explained, “[T]here could…
-
Tropicana Targeted in Malic Acid Lawsuit
A consumer has filed a putative class action alleging that Tropicana Manufacturing Co. misrepresents its orange juice as “natural” because it contains a variation of malic acid that can be used as an artificial flavoring ingredient. Johnson v. Tropicana Mfg. Co. Inc., No. 19-1164 (S.D. Cal., filed June 20, 2019). The complaint, echoing similar actions…
-
FDA Issues Consumer Update on CBD
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has issued an update for consumers explaining its investigations into cannabis and cannabis-derived compounds, including cannabidiol (CBD). The agency indicates that it is “working to learn more about the safety of CBD and CBD products,” specifically: (i) “[t]he effects CBD could cause in the body, such as toxicity…
-
Qualified Health Claims for Omega-3s Allowed
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has announced that it will not object to claims that “consuming eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic (DHA) omega-3 fatty acids in food or dietary supplements may reduce the risk of hypertension and coronary heart disease.” FDA’s research on the claim included reviewing more than 700 studies and 22…
-
UK to Require Allergen Labeling
U.K. Environment Secretary Michael Gove has reportedly announced that a law requiring a full listing of ingredients on prepackaged food will take effect by the summer of 2021 and will include a two-year implementation period allowing businesses to adapt. “Natasha’s Law” bears the name of a 15-year-old who died from anaphylaxis after an allergic reaction…
-
DeLauro, Durbin Introduce Safe Food Act of 2019
U.S. Sen. Dick Durbin (D-Ill.) and Rep. Rosa DeLauro (D-Conn.) have introduced the Safe Food Act of 2019, “which would create a single, independent food safety agency.” In addition, the proposed law would “[r]equire full food traceability to better identify sources of outbreaks” and “[s]trengthen oversight of foreign food facilities and improve food import inspections.”…