Food & Beverage Litigation & Regulatory Update

Tag: GMO

  • Citing GMOs, Putative Class Challenges Campbell Soup “100% Natural” Claims

    A California resident has filed a putative class action against Campbell Soup Co. alleging that it falsely represents that some of its products are “100% Natural” when they in fact contain genetically modified organisms (GMOs) “in the form of soy, corn, soy derivatives, and or corn derivatives.” Barnes v. Campbell Soup Co., No. 12-05185 (N.D. Cal., filed…

  • Transgenic Cow Raises Questions About FDA Approval Process

    According to a recent report published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, scientists have successfully engineered a transgenic dairy cow that produces milk with decreased levels of β-lactoglobulin (BLG), a major allergen which is not present in human milk. Anower Jabed, et al., “Targeted microRNA expression in dairy cattle directs production of β-lactoglobulin-free, high-casein…

  • Class Action Against General Mills Claims GMOs Render Granola Bars Not Natural

    A California resident has filed a putative class action against General Mills, Inc., alleging that its “100% Natural” labeling and advertising for products such as Nature Valley® Dark Chocolate Peanut Butter Crunchy Granola Bars are misleading because the products contain ingredients grown from genetically modified organisms (GMOs). Rojas v. General Mills, Inc., No. 12-5099 (N.D.…

  • Frito-Lay Bean Dip Targeted in “All Natural” Lawsuit

    A Florida resident has filed a putative statewide class action alleging that Frito-Lay falsely labels its snacks, including “Bean Dip products,” as “ALL NATURAL” despite the use of ingredients—particularly soy—containing genetically modified organisms (GMOs). Altman v. Frito-Lay N. Am., Inc., No. 12-61803 (S.D. Fla., filed September 13, 2012). The gist of the complaint is that…

  • Golden Rice Study Criticized on Ethical Grounds

    A recently published study involving transgenic rice has reportedly drawn criticism from Greenpeace China, which has accused U.S. researchers of using Chinese children “as guinea pigs in [a] genetically engineered ‘Golden Rice’ trial.” According to media sources, the advocacy group has cited a joint Chinese-U.S. study appearing in the August 2012 edition of the American Journal…

  • Brazilian Court Orders Nestlé to Label GM Ingredients in Cookies

    According to a news source, a Brazilian court has determined that Nestlé’s strawberry-flavored Bono Cookies® contain genetically modified (GM) soybeans at levels in excess of a 1 percent limit and that the company must thus place a yellow triangle with a “T” in the middle along with the word “transgenic” on its product labels. Failure…

  • Environmentalists Challenge GM Potato Trials in Ireland

    Following the Irish Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA’s) decision to allow genetically modified (GM) potato trials in County Carlow, a group of environmentalists and organic producers reportedly mounted a legal challenge under the Aarhus Convention which allows environmental legal issues to be pursued under a “non-prohibitively expensive order.” According to a press report, Mr. Justice Gerard…

  • Center for Food Safety Criticizes USDA BioAg Committee’s Coexistence Stance

    The Center for Food Safety has issued a paper critical of the draft report prepared by the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA’s) Advisory Committee on Biotechnology and 21st Century Agriculture (AC21), which was scheduled to meet August 27-28, 2012, to discuss the draft. According to the advocacy organization, USDA “has increasingly strayed from its role as…