By Ricardo Carvajal – That question is presented in class actions recently filed against ConAgra Foods, Inc. in California and New York. The complaint in the California case alleges that ConAgra’s labeling and advertising of Wesson Oils as “100% natural” violates California law because the oils …
On September 9, 2011, FDA will publish in the Federal Register a notice granting a 60-day extension, until December 2, 2011, to file comments on the draft guidance on New Dietary Ingredient (“NDI”) notifications that the Agency issued on July 5, 2011 (see our previous …
By Riëtte van Laack – On August 24, 2011, another class action suit regarding “natural” food labeling claims was filed in the Southern District of California. The defendants include Kashi Co. (“Kashi”) and its general manager, as well as Kashi’s parent Kellogg Co. and its President …
By Ricardo Carvajal – In June, we reported that the DC Circuit Court of Appeals decided it lacked exclusive jurisdiction over a Natural Resources Defense Council (“NRDC”) citizen petition seeking FDA action against BPA. Undeterred, NRDC has now filed its complaint in district court. The complaint …
By Riëtte van Laack – Under the law, a manufacturer of a new dietary ingredient ("NDI") or a dietary supplement containing an NDI must notify FDA of the basis for the manufacturer’s conclusion that its product “will reasonably be expected to be safe.” FDA’s regulation, 21 …
By Ricardo Carvajal – Del Monte Fresh Produce N.A., Inc. ("Del Monte Fresh") sued to invalidate an FDA import alert on cantaloupe from Productos Agricolas de Oriente, S.A. ("PAO"), a Guatemalan producer that is one of Del Monte Fresh’s principal suppliers. FDA imposed the import alert …
By Cassandra A. Soltis – In response to the Food and Drug Administration’s (“FDA’s”) proposed rule on nutrition labeling of standard menu items in restaurants and similar retail food establishments, members of the U.S. Senate and House of Representatives have requested that FDA exclude grocery stores …
By Riëtte van Laack – FDA is reopening the comment period on the proposed rule it published on December 8, 2010, to amend the regulations on plant sterol/stanol esters and risk of coronary heart disease. (See our previous post on the proposed rule.) One of FDA’s proposed …
By Cassandra A. Soltis – The Food and Drug Administration (“FDA”) has reopened the comment period for its proposed rule on “gluten-free” labeling of food to announce the availability of, and seek comments on, its report titled “Health Hazard Assessment for Gluten Exposure in Individuals with …
The Institute of Food Technologists (“IFT”) is requesting proposals for its March 28-29, 2012 annual Wellness Conference, which will explore new trends and examine recent scientific, technological, and business information in the health and wellness sector of the food industry. The conference will cover a …
By Ricardo Carvajal – FDA announced fee rates for reinspections of domestic and foreign facilities, importer reinspections, and noncompliance with a recall order – all authorized by the Food Safety Modernization Act ("FSMA"). The fees kick in on October 1, 2011. The hourly fee rate is …
By Ricardo Carvajal – A federal district court dismissed with prejudice a claim that Bayer’s labeling of gummy vitamins violated the Arkansas Deceptive Trade Practices Act. Plaintiff alleged that the brand name “ONE A DAY” is misleading because the daily serving size for the vitamins is …
On July 26, 2011, Hyman, Phelps & McNamara, P.C. filed a request for a one-year comment period to allow affected businesses adequate time to respond to a lengthy and controversial draft guidance on New Dietary Ingredient ("NDI") notifications that FDA issued earlier this month. Our …
By Ricardo Carvajal – The integration of federal and state food safety systems is one of the goals of the Food Safety Modernization Act. To that end, FDA recently announced the availability of grant funding to help with the “design, development, delivery, and maintenance of a …
By Wes Siegner, Ricardo Carvajal & Riëtte van Laack – Since at least the early 1960s, FDA has attempted to exercise control over the dietary supplement market, sometimes in ways that the public, industry and Congress have found unacceptable. In the 60s, FDA proposed a regulation …
