Category: Issue
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APHIS Proposes GMO Rules Revisions
The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) has announced proposed revisions to its regulations regarding “the movement (importation, interstate movement, and environmental release) of certain genetically modified organisms” (GMOs). The proposal, “the first comprehensive revision of the regulations since they were established in 1987,” would adjust how the agency handles…
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FDA Holds Public Meeting on Cannabis
On May 31, 2019, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) held a widely anticipated public hearing with stakeholders on cannabis and cannabis-derived compounds to gain insights on product safety and a potential regulatory framework for products containing such substances. The hearing focused on cannabidiol (CBD)—a popular but controversial compound that has been added to…
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Plaintiff Challenges Oreos’ “Real Cocoa” Content
Mondelez International Inc. allegedly markets its Oreos as containing “Real Cocoa” despite containing “cocoa processed with alkali.” Harper v. Mondelez Int’l Inc., No. 19-2747 (N.D. Cal., filed May 20, 2019). A plaintiff has asserted that the claim “‘Always made with Real Cocoa’ or ‘Real Cocoa’ is intended to differentiate the cocoa in the Products from…
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Company Alleges Anti-Competitive Actions for Norwegian Farm-Raised Salmon
Cape Florida Seafood has filed a lawsuit alleging that several companies have “conspired since at least 2015” to fix prices on farm-raised Norwegian salmon. Cape Fla. Seafood v. Mowi ASA, No. 19-22002 (S.D. Fla., Miami Div., filed May 17, 2019). The complaint asserts that salmon prices before 2015 were correlated with the cost of feed…
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Stewart’s Cream Soda Lacks Real Vanilla, Lawsuit Alleges
A consumer has filed a putative class action alleging that Stewart’s Fountain Classics beverages are misleadingly marketed as having a “Creamy Vanilla Taste” despite containing artificial flavors. Dalton v. Mott’s LLP, No. 19-2960 (E.D.N.Y., filed May 19, 2019). The plaintiff admits that the label discloses the product contains artificial flavors but argues that the “nostalgic…
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Article Examines Human Effects of SSB Tax
A New York Times article has documented how Philadelphia’s tax on sugar-sweetened beverages (SSBs) has affected the residents of the city. The article, published days before the city’s Democratic primary for mayor, speculates that the tax could be eliminated if the primary challengers were to beat Mayor Jim Kenney; although the mayor won the May…
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Citrus Growers Look to Antibiotics to Fight Citrus Greening
In an effort to combat citrus greening, some citrus farmers have reportedly begun spraying antibiotics on their trees, sparking concerns about antibiotic resistance, according to the New York Times. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) apparently approved the use of streptomycin and oxytetracycline for emergencies “despite strenuous objections from the Food and Drug Administration and the…
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FDA Issues Guidance on “Potassium Chloride Salt”
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has issued draft guidance for industry on the use of “potassium chloride salt” on food labels as an acceptable alternative to the use of the common or usual name “potassium chloride.” The guidance indicates that the agency recognizes that food manufacturers “wishing to reduce sodium chloride in their…