Regulatory

It’s like playing Russian Roulette. With food. At least, that’s the opinion of one scientist.

At a time when a federal district court in California has been nicknamed “The Food Court” because of the number of consumer actions it has addressed, it’s become apparent that building a brand is about more than just growing sales, it’s about protecting those sales in the face of potential legal action.

In response to shifting attitudes towards nutrition and diet, and a high-profile spat with a nutrition bar company,, the U.S. Food & Drug Administration (FDA) announced in late September that it was seeking public input for a new definition of the the “healthy” nutrient content claim for food and beverage labeling.

Over the past year and a half, Jeni’s Splendid Ice Cream has struggled with the presence of Listeria monocytogenes in its production facility. Despite taking extensive precautions, a Food and Drug Administration (FDA) warning letter released today indicates that eradication efforts have failed.

This week natural products retailer Whole Foods Market received a warning letter from the FDA for numerous “serious violations” of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration’s (FDA) Current Good Manufacturing Practice (cGMP) regulations for manufacturing, packing or holding food.

First Lady Michelle Obama – who has played an active role in efforts to update the Nutrition Facts panel since 2014 – said the label changes “make a real difference in providing families across the country information they need to make healthy choices.”

Any food or beverage company will tell you that the day a Food and Drug Agency (FDA) warning letter shows up in the mail is, in the politest terms, nerve-wracking. But it seems you can sometimes fight City Hall. Despite what some believe is pressure from Big Food to keep with the status quo, it seems the FDA has realized it needs to start pulling some of its punches in the case of certain claims or claims used for specific functions.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture and the Department of Health and Human Services released their final draft of the nation’s federal dietary guidelines yesterday. Since then numerous industry groups and companies have issues statements lauding or disagreeing with the new guide.

The Food and Drug Association has extended the comment period for use of the term “Natural.” by 90 days. Originally comments were due February 10th, but now have been moved to May 10th.

In addition to the FDA’s announcement regarding the approval of genetically modified salmon, the agency also released suggestions for those companies that want to voluntarily call attention to the fact that they are using genetically modified (GMO) ingredients (of the aquatic nature or otherwise).