Food & Beverage Litigation & Regulatory Update

Category: Issue

  • NYC Groups Challenge Enforcement of City Menu-Labeling Law

    A group of convenience-store and restaurant trade groups have filed a lawsuit to stop New York City from enforcing a municipal regulation requiring calorie and nutrition information to be posted in their establishments. Nat’l Assoc. of Convenience Stores v. New York City Dep’t of Hygiene, No. 17-5324 (S.D.N.Y., filed July 14, 2017). In 2010, the…

  • Europol Arrests 66 in Horsemeat Investigation

    Europol has announced the arrests of 66 people following a four-year investigation into an organized-crime group accused of selling horsemeat “not suitable for consumption” as beef products. The investigation began in 2013 after Irish authorities found products sold as beef burgers that contained horsemeat and led to a Dutch man in Spain alleged to be…

  • GE Salmon Bill Introduced in U.S. Senate

    A bipartisan group of U.S. senators has introduced a bill that would require labeling of genetically engineered (GE) salmon and independent scientific review of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration’s environmental assessment of GE fish produced for human consumption. “The primary purpose of this bill is to ensure that consumers have all the facts and…

  • AHA Advisory Examines Dietary Fats and Cardiovascular Disease

    The American Heart Association (AHA) has issued an advisory concluding that replacing saturated fats with unsaturated fats will lower the incidence of cardiovascular disease (CVD), especially if combined with an “overall healthful dietary pattern.” Frank M. Sacks, et al, “Dietary Fats and Cardiovascular Disease: A Presidential Advisory From the American Heart Association,” Circulation, June 15,…

  • Putative Class Action Challenges Blueberry and Maple Flavorings

    A California consumer has filed a putative class action against Dunkin’ Brands Group alleging that Dunkin’ Donuts deceived customers into believing its blueberry and maple products contained “real” blueberries and maple syrup or sugar instead of artificial flavorings. Babaian v. Dunkin’ Brands Grp., No. 17-4890 (C.D. Cal., filed July 3, 2017). The plaintiff contends that…

  • Plaintiff Claims Legal Malpractice in Product Liability Suit Against Townsend Farms

    A California man has filed a legal malpractice claim against lawyers who allegedly failed to represent him adequately in his suit against fruit processor Townsend Farms, in which he claimed he contracted hepatitis A after eating the company’s Organic Antioxidant Blend. Durrell v. Taylor, Sullivan & Mondorf, No. BC667419 (Cal. Sup. Ct., Los Angeles Cty.,…

  • Lawsuit Claims Blue Buffalo Dog Food Contains Lead

    Blue Buffalo Pet Products faces a proposed class action alleging that three of its dog-food products contain unsafe levels of lead despite being advertised as “healthy” and “holistic.” Zakinov v. Blue Buffalo Pet Products, No. 17-1301 (S.D. Cal., filed June 26, 2017). The plaintiff, who asserts that his four-year-old dog died from kidney disease after eating…

  • Celebrity Chef Jamie Oliver Sued for Trademark Infringement

    The Gluten Intolerance Group of North America (GIG), a nonprofit consumer-advocacy and food-safety certification group, has filed a lawsuit against celebrity chef Jamie Oliver alleging that his website displays a designation on gluten-free recipes that infringes the group’s trademarks. Gluten Intolerance Grp. of N. Am. V. Jamie Oliver Enters., No. 17-1028 (W.D. Wash., filed July…