Regulatory
Stay informed on the latest natural food industry regulatory updates involving the Federal Trade Commission (FTC), Food and Drug Administration (FDA), or United States Department of Agriculture(USDA), as well as news regarding lawsuits, labeling and class-actions. Understand the evolving natural food regulatory and legal environment which can directly impact your product claims, intellectual property, packaging and ingredients.
Featured Regulatory Content
Even The New Dietary Guidelines Want More Protein, Less Processing
“Eat real food.” That is the central message projected by the Trump Administration’s new Dietary Guidelines for Americans.
What Are the Implications of Natural Grocers’ GMO Labeling Case?
The USDA will be required to revise parts of its National Bioengineered Food Disclosure Standard after judges in the Ninth U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals invalidated several “loopholes” that plaintiffs argued would have misled consumers.
A Year In Food Industry Upheaval: Trump, Tariffs and Titanium Dioxide
This year will go down in the history books as one marked by an unprecedented federal focus on the food industry, sparking strategic overhauls of, and a bit of panic within, Big Food operations; a flurry of state-level action against a plethora of synthetic ingredients; and the adoption of some new acronyms – UPFs and MAHA, just to name a few.
Additional Content
PLANT Act Enters Farm Bill Conversation
How does the government create a research-driven, farmer-centric plant-based food industry ecosystem that supports its own growth through consistent supply and demand? That’s the task the The Peas, Legumes, and Nuts Today (PLANT) Act is looking to tackle.
NOSH Podcast: The Right to Free Speech and Alt-Meat
Institute for Justice Senior Attorney Justin Pearson joins the NOSH Podcast this week to talk about how and when the First Amendment and the Constitution protects brands against food labeling regulations.
USDA Prioritizes Labeling Claims For Humanely-Raised Animal Products
The USDA announced plans to revise the guidelines for animal-raising claims providing more consumer transparency and oversight for label callouts like “grass fed,” “pasture raised,” “hormone-free” or “antibiotic-free.”
Regulatory Rundown: Here’s Where USDA Priorities Overlap CPG
The USDA’s purview is regulating agricultural products and livestock that become food, but its reach in the industry stretches into other areas of health, nutrition, food access and safety. Here is a brief explainer about some of the current administration’s priorities pertaining to CPG food.
Beyond Meat: Shareholder Lawsuit Alleges Leadership Overstated Success of QSR Partnerships
Beyond Meat was issued a class action lawsuit by institutional shareholders alleging that the plant-based meat company’s executives knowingly misled its investors about the strength of the company’s manufacturing and foodservice partnerships while, in the process, profiting on the inflated share price.
News Roundup: Congress Seeks To Increase Access to Frozen Produce, Motif FoodWorks Launching Foodservice Portfolio
A bipartisan bill in Congress will offer SNAP recipients access to frozen produce, Motif FoodWorks is launching a foodservice portfolio of its plant-based meat products and NFL quarterback Aaron Rodgers’ private equity firm RX3 Growth Partners announces a $150M fund II.
Sweegen’s Brazzein Sweetener Receives GRAS Status, Opens Lane For Product Innovation
Last week, ingredient company Sweegen received GRAS status for its new Ultratia line of brazzein sweeteners that claim to be 500 to 2000 times sweeter than regular sugar, marking another step forward in the race to create the next generation of better-for-you sugar alternatives.
Broth Beef: USDA, FDA Trying To Ban FODMAP Terms, Says Gourmend
Gourmend Foods is suing the USDA and FDA over the use of proven, low-FODMAP labeling claims on beef bone broth packages saying “the government does not get to decide which facts consumers are allowed to learn.”
UNFI Faces Shareholder Class Action Over Allegedly Misleading Cost Savings Program
UNFI is facing legal action from shareholders after allegedly providing false and misleading financial information following the roll out of its Value Path cost savings initiative, launched in the wake of pandemic-induced supply chain volatility.
FDA: Aims To Reduce Sodium Intake, Allows Salt Substitutes In Food Products
The FDA proposed a new rule Friday allowing food makers to use salt substitutes in place of salt in an effort to reduce sodium intake from various processed and prepared foods. The move allows brands greater flexibility in ingredient choice used for flavor enhancement and preservation.