Category: Issue
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Flavoring Manufacturer’s Trade Secret Claim to Continue
An Illinois court has refused to dismiss Gold Medal Products Inc.’s lawsuit alleging that Bell Flavors and Fragrances Inc., with the help of a former Gold Medal employee, misappropriated trade secrets. Gold Medal Prods. Inc. v. Bell Flavors & Fragrances Inc., No. 17-4084 (N.D. Ill., entered March 2, 2018). Gold Medal alleged that its recipe…
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Popcorner Bags Contain 54 Percent Slack Fill, Consumer Alleges
BFY Brands, Inc., maker of Our Little Rebellion snacks, faces a potential class action alleging that its one-ounce bags of popcorn contain up to 54 percent slack fill. Reaves v. BFY Brands, Inc., No. 18-2065 (S.D.N.Y., filed March 7, 2018). The plaintiff alleges that he bought bags of Popcorners products—including Smokin’ Jalapeño White Cheddar, Sweet…
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Lawsuit Alleges Kombucha Drinks Falsely Advertise Probiotic Content
A consumer has filed a putative class action alleging that Brew Dr. Kombucha misleadingly advertises its products as containing “billions” of probiotic bacteria. Bazer v. Brew Dr. Kombucha, No. 2018-2943 (Ill. Chancery Ct., Cook Cty., filed March 5, 2018). The plaintiff asserts that he bought several bottles of kombucha in different flavors because he heard…
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U.K. Urges Food Industry to Reduce Calorie Content
A policy report announced by Public Health England (PHE) and the U.K. Department of Health and Social Care calls on the food industry to cut calorie content of certain foods—including pizza, ready-made meals, packaged sandwiches, meat products and savory snacks—by 20 percent before 2024. The report recommends reduction of calories through product reformulation, portion-size reduction and…
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Salt-and-Vinegar Lawsuit Survives Motion to Dismiss
A California court has denied a motion to dismiss a putative class action alleging the label of Frito-Lay North America Inc.’s Lay’s salt-and-vinegar-flavored potato chips fails to specify whether the vinegar flavoring is natural or artificial. Allred v. Frito-Lay N. Am., Inc., No. 17-1345 (S.D. Cal., entered March 7, 2018). The plaintiff couple filed similar lawsuits…
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USA Today Reports on Cattle Ranchers’ Fight to Define “Meat”
With companies creating plant-based foods that look and taste like real meat—and even getting product placement in grocery meat cases—USA Today reports that U.S. cattle ranchers are disputing the categories of the products developed and sold by these companies, including Impossible Foods and Beyond Meat. The United States Cattlemen’s Association has filed a petition with…
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FDA Announces Education Campaign For Nutrition Facts Label
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has announced the launch of a “major educational campaign for consumers” about changes to the Nutrition Facts label on food products. The campaign will include educational videos, social media outreach and “user-friendly” websites to help consumers understand the relationship between their daily dietary choices and the risk of…
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NRDC Petitions New York to Regulate PFOA and PFOS in Drinking Water
The Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC) has asked the New York health department to establish enforceable maximum contaminant levels (MCLs) for PFOA and PFOS in public drinking water. In its 65-page petition, NRDC detailed the results of a year-long study of state drinking water sources, including purported findings of elevated levels of the chemicals in…