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  • Foods and Dietary Supplements

    • Hold the Fructose: FDA Petitioned to Act Against Certain High Fructose Corn SyrupsSeptember 5th, 2012

       By Ricardo Carvajal – A consumer group, Citizens for Health, submitted a citizen petition (Docket No. FDA-2012-P-0904) to FDA asking the agency to “take action to protect the public from the illegal, mislabeled use of high fructose corn syrup (‘HFCS’) that is above 55 percent fructose” and …

    • FDA and OMB Sued Over Delays in FSMA ImplementationAugust 31st, 2012

      By Ricardo Carvajal – The Center for Food Safety and the Center for Environmental Health filed suit in the Northern District of California to compel FDA and the Office of Management and Budget (“OMB”) to implement several major provisions of the Food Safety Modernization Act (“FSMA”). …

    • The POM Wonderful Case Enters the PlayoffsAugust 24th, 2012

      By John R. Fleder – We have previously reported about the Federal Trade Commission’s (“FTC”) case against POM Wonderful, the maker of pomegranate juice (here, here, here, and here). In the world of FTC advertising cases, this litigation is certainly “big league” litigation. On September 27, 2010, the …

    • HP&M Attorneys to Present at Upcoming Conferences on Food LawAugust 20th, 2012

      Hyman, Phelps & McNamara, P.C.’s Diane McColl will present at USP’s 2012 Science & Standards Symposium, which is dedicated to functional foods and dietary supplements.  The conference will address scientific and regulatory issues from an international perspective, and will feature speakers from USP and NIH’s …

    • California Labeling Requirements for Organic Cosmetics Not PreemptedAugust 14th, 2012

      By Riëtte van Laack – The Organic Food Products Act of 1990 (“OFPA”) established national standards for the marketing of certain agricultural products marketed as organically produced.  It directed USDA to issue regulations specifying the requirements for certification and labeling of organic agricultural products.  In promulgating …

    • GAO Report: FDA’s Food Recall Process Needs StrengtheningAugust 5th, 2012

      By Riëtte van Laack – The U.S. Government Accountability Office ("GAO") released a report on FDA’s  food recall process prepared in response to a congressional directive in the Food Safety Modernization Act ("FSMA"), which provided FDA with mandatory recall authority for foods.  In evaluating FDA’s implementation, the …

    • “Natural” Claims and Consumer ExpectationAugust 3rd, 2012

      By Ricardo Carvajal – According to an informal policy, FDA considers the use of the term “natural” in food labeling to mean that nothing artificial or synthetic (including colors regardless of source) is included in, or has been added to, the product that would not normally …

    • FDA Requests Comments on Changes for Reporting Requirements of Antibiotic Use in Food Producing AnimalsAugust 2nd, 2012

      By Riëtte van Laack – The Animal Drug User Fee Amendments of 2008 (“ADUFA”) directs FDA to prepare and publish annual summaries of antimicrobial animal drugs sold or distributed for use in food-producing animals.  The data are derived from information submitted by sponsors of antimicrobial new …

    • New Legislation Seeks to Amend Menu Labeling RequirementsAugust 1st, 2012

      By Riëtte van Laack – The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act of 2010, in part, amended the FDC Act by adding Section 403(q)(H) requiring restaurants and similar retail food establishments (“SRFEs”) that are part of a chain with 20 or more locations to provide calorie …

    • WSJ Article on Medical Foods Repeats Common Errors, but Illustrates Importance of Healthcare OptionsJuly 29th, 2012

       By Wes Siegner – The article “‘Medical Foods’ and Supplements for Brain Health Advance” that recently appeared in The Wall Street Journal provides important insights into a growing industry that is focused on offering a wider range of healthcare options.  However, the article contains common misconceptions …

    • March Away From BPA ContinuesJuly 20th, 2012

      By Ricardo Carvajal – FDA published a Federal Register notice announcing the filing of Rep. Edward J. Markey’s food additive petition asking the agency to amend its regulations “to no longer provide for the use of Bisphenol A (BPA)-based epoxy resins as coatings in packaging for …

    • Can Food Be Too Safe?July 4th, 2012

      By Ricardo Carvajal – We raised this question at the recent ABA Section of Litigation Food & Supplements Second Annual Workshop as a way of commenting on emerging threads of resistance to the imposition of greater food safety-related requirements at all levels of government, but especially …

    • It’s Official – FDA States Intention to Exercise Enforcement Discretion for Key FSMA ProvisionsJuly 2nd, 2012

      By Ricardo Carvajal – In several letters issued to trade associations on June 18th (for an example, see here), FDA stated that it “will expect to enforce compliance” with the preventive controls provision in section 103 of the Food Safety Modernization Act ("FSMA") and the foreign …

    • Food Additive Petition Seeks to Reduce Neural Tube Defects Among HispanicsJune 19th, 2012

      By Ricardo Carvajal – In a relatively rare example of a request for regulatory action intended to benefit a specific racial or ethnic group, a coalition of businesses and nonprofits submitted a food additive petition (see here and here) asking FDA to amend the food additive regulation …

    • Court Rejects FTC’s Effort to Require Two StudiesJune 13th, 2012

      By Riëtte van Laack – As we previously reported, the United States District Court for the Southern District of Florida denied the Federal Trade Commission’s (“FTC’s”) motion to hold Garden of Life and its founder, Jordan S. Rubin (collectively “GOL”) in contempt for allegedly violating a court-issued …