Food & Beverage Litigation & Regulatory Update

Category: Other Developments

  • Regulators, Retailers and Manufacturers Concerned About Pace of Product Recalls

    According to a news source, more than 2,300 consumer products, pharmaceuticals, medical devices, and food, at a pace of some 6.5 each day, were recalled in 2011. This represents a reported increase of 14 percent over recalls in 2010 and compares to about 1,500 recalls in 2007. Regulators, retailers and manufacturers are apparently concerned that…

  • PHAI Questions “Hidden Costs” of School Vending Machines

    The Public Health Advocacy Institute (PHAI) has issued a June 7, 2012, fact sheet calling on school districts to consider the energy costs of cold beverage vending machines when deciding whether to renew vending contracts. Claiming that a traditional vending machine consumes approximately 3,000 kilowatt hours of electricity per year (kWh/yr), the fact sheet estimates…

  • Public Health Lawyer Investigates Corporate Ties to SNAP Program

    Public health lawyer Michele Simon has published a June 2012 report that raises questions about the purported influence of food and banking corporations on the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA’s) Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP). Titled “Food Stamps: Follow the Money,” the report focuses on food manufacturers, food retailers and large banks with “a critical…

  • Report Examines U.S. Food Sector Workers

    The Food Chain Workers Alliance has issued a report claiming that most U.S. workers across the food sector—from production, processing, distribution, retail, and service—earn low wages with few health benefits, a situation that can pose safety risks to both employees and the public. Titled “The Hands That Feed Us: Challenges and Opportunities for Workers Along…

  • OSU to Patent “Vegas Strip Steak”

    Oklahoma State University’s (OSU) Robert M. Kerr Food and Agriculture Products Center has reportedly signaled its intention to patent a new kind of steak after unveiling the product at the “Protein Innovation Summit” held April 16-17, 2012, in Chicago, Illinois. According to media sources, OSU researchers have dubbed the cut of beef a “Vegas Strip…

  • Consumer Watchdog Groups Urge PBS to Stop Chick-fil-A Promotions

    The Campaign for a Commercial-Free Childhood (CCFC), Public Citizen and Corporate Accountability International are reportedly urging the PBS network to “end a four-year marketing agreement between the popular children’s show ‘Martha Speaks’ and the fast food chain Chick-fil-A.” The marketing agreement includes 15-second ads for the restaurant before and after the show and in-store giveaways…

  • Various Government Agencies Investigating Chipotle’s Hiring Practices

    Chipotle Mexican Grill has filed a report with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) advising that the U.S. Attorney for the District of Columbia “is conducting an investigation into possible criminal securities law violations relating to our employee work authorization verification compliance and related disclosures and statements.” The probe follows investigations into the company’s compliance…

  • Obese Ohio Boy Released from Protective Supervision After Weight Loss

    An Ohio court has apparently released a 9-year-old boy from the supervision of Cuyahoga County Children & Family Services after he lost more than 50 pounds while in foster care and while living with an uncle in Columbus. Additional information about the case appears in Issue 421 of this Update. The boy, who came to…