Food & Beverage Litigation & Regulatory Update

Tag: food safety/FSMA

  • U.K. Regulator Calls for Research on “Internet of Things” and Food Safety

    The U.K. Food Standards Agency (FSA) has issued a call for research exploring how the Internet of Things (IoT) could affect food safety. Working with The IT as a Utility Network Plus, FSA seeks short-term pilot studies “intended to test new ideas or create novel linkages between research areas.” In particular, the joint initiative seeks…

  • AAJ Report Decries Food Industry, Promotes Civil Justice System as “Mechanism for Deterring Negligent Behavior”

    “American consumers expect and deserve safe food. Yet, time and again, food producers have cut corners on food safety knowing full well that tainted products cause serious illness or even death,” asserted American Association for Justice (AAJ) President Larry Tawwater in issuing a report condemning industry for allegedly prioritizing profits over people. The report contends that…

  • Politico Takes President Obama and Congress to Task over Food Safety Reform

    By failing to adequately fund and implement the Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA), the “Obama administration and Congress have all but squandered an opportunity to give the anemic Food and Drug Administration, which is responsible for the safety of 80 percent of the nation’s food supply, a level of oversight the public long assumed it…

  • DOJ Warns of Criminal Prosecutions for Food-Safety Lapses

    In a recent Associated Press (AP) interview, U.S. Associate Attorney General Stuart Delery warns that the Department of Justice (DOJ) will pursue criminal penalties against companies that sell poisoned food. AP cites the recent prosecution of Peanut Corp. of America executives along with actions against the producers of tainted cantaloupe and eggs as evidence of…

  • U.S. Senate Democrats Call on GAO for Single Food Safety Agency Models

    U.S. Sens. Dick Durbin (D-Ill.), Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.) and Kirsten Gillibrand (D-N.Y.) are seeking a study from the Government Accountability Office (GAO) about the practicality of a single federal agency charged with oversight for food safety. “Given concerns about the fragmented federal food safety system in the United States and potential lessons to be learned…

  • FDA Issues Draft Guidance About Mandatory Food Recalls

    The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has issued draft guidance about the implementation of mandatory food recall provisions under the Food Safety Modernization Act (FMSA). The guidance provides answers to common questions such as “What evidence might FDA consider when deciding to move forward with a mandatory food recall under Section 423 of the…

  • U.S. Government Sues Wholesome Soy Products over Listeria Outbreak

    Attorneys in the U.S. Department of Justice and U.S. Department of Health and Human Services have filed a lawsuit against Wholesome Soy Products to permanently enjoin the company, its owner and manager from causing food to become adulterated under the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act (FDCA) after government agencies allegedly linked the company’s facilities…

  • FDA Looks to Ease FSMA Burdens

    To ease producer burdens under the Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA), the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has revised four proposed rules related to produce safety; preventive controls for human food and animal food; and the foreign supplier verification program. After receiving feedback from consumers and industry stakeholders, the agency has (i) updated water quality…