Food & Beverage Litigation & Regulatory Update

Tag: cheese

  • New York Federal Court Dismisses Proposed Class Action Against Whole Foods

    A New York federal court has dismissed a putative class action alleging Whole Foods Market Group overcharged its customers for some prepackaged foods, finding that the plaintiffs failed to specify any particular transactions in which the grocer overcharged them. In re Whole Foods Mkt. Grp., Inc. Overcharging Litig., No. 15-5838 (S.D.N.Y., order entered March 1,…

  • Grated-Parmesan Tests by Bloomberg Business Prompt Mislabeling Lawsuit, Retailer Response

    A consumer has filed a lawsuit against Kraft Heinz Foods Co. alleging the company sells its grated Parmesan as “100% Grated Parmesan Cheese” despite containing “significant amounts of adulterants and fillers,” including cellulose, or “wood pulp.” Lewin v. Kraft Heinz Foods Co., No. 16-0823 (N.D. Cal., filed February 18, 2016). The lawsuit comes in the…

  • Cheese Company Pleads Guilty to Food Adulteration Charge, FDA Vows Continued Collaboration with DOJ on Food Safety

    A Delaware cheese company and two individual defendants have pled guilty to a misdemeanor violation of the federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act for distributing adulterated ricotta, queso fresco and fresh cheese curds in several neighboring states. U.S. v. Roos Foods, Inc., No. 16-0013 (D. Del., information filed January 22, 2016). Roos’ cheese was connected…

  • Cheese Company Pleads Guilty to Food Adulteration Charge

    A Delaware cheese company and two individual defendants have pled guilty to a misdemeanor violation of the federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act for distributing adulterated ricotta, queso fresco and fresh cheese curds in several neighboring states. U.S. v. Roos Foods, Inc., No. 16-0013 (D. Del., information filed January 22, 2016). Roos’ cheese was connected…

  • FDA Extends Comment Period for Proposed Rule Addressing Fermented and Hydrolyzed Foods with Gluten-Free Claims

    The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has extended from February 16 to February 22, 2016, the comment period regarding requirements for fermented and hydrolyzed foods or those containing fermented or hydrolyzed ingredients that carry the “gluten-free” claim. The proposed rule would apply to foods such as sauerkraut, yogurt, pickles, cheese, green olives, vinegar, and…

  • Ad Board Allows String Cheese Maker to Continue Claims

    The National Advertising Division (NAD), an arm of the advertising industry’s self-regulation system, has concluded Saputo Cheese, USA, Inc. can support its claims that its string cheese is “natural” and “low-moisture part-skim mozzarella cheese” despite challenger Lactalis American Group’s argument that Saputo’s products contain artificial phosphate and fillers. Lactalis argued Saputo’s products do not comply…

  • European Court Rejects “Halloumi” as Community Trade Mark

    The European Union’s General Court has rejected an appeal to register “Halloumi” and its Greek alphabet equivalent as Community Trade Marks, deeming the terms descriptive of the cheese product. Republic of Cyprus v. Office for Harmonisation in the Internal Mkt., Nos. T-292/14 and T-293/14 (Gen. Ct., order entered October 7, 2015). The application would have…

  • Kraft “Natural” Fat-Free Cheese Challenged in Puerto Rico Court

    A consumer has filed a putative class action against Kraft Foods Group Inc. alleging that the company’s fat-free cheese is mislabeled as “natural” because it contains artificial or synthetic ingredients, including “artificial color.” Quiñones-Gonzalez v. Kraft Foods Grp., Inc., No. 15-1892 (D.P.R., filed July 27, 2015). The plaintiff asserts that she relied on the “natural”…