Regulatory

Under the Obama administration, brands had until July 26, 2018, to adjust all packaging. With the new extension, manufacturers with $10 million or more in annual food sales will now have until Jan. 1, 2020; manufacturers with less than $10 million in annual food sales have until Jan. 1, 2021.

The legal saga between Snyder’s-Lance, the maker of Pretzel Crisps, and PepsiCo’s Frito-Lay, maker of Rold Gold’s Pretzel Thins, seems to be only beginning.– and the ongoing court proceedings are already serving as a cautionary tale to emerging food and beverage brands.

While children fear monsters under their beds, parents of children with allergies fear a different kind of demon: peanuts. But, according to two recent studies, peanut allergies may be avoidable with the controlled, early introduction of peanuts to babies. The FDA has taken note and its change in stance is sending waves throughout the food industry.

From patent restrictions and investor complaints to false labeling claims, these are the cases creating — or aiming to clean up — messy food dealings.

A California bill addressing the potential dangers of synthetic food dyes on children has passed, but with a major amendment.

Food fights are breaking out in court. HaloTop, Mars Inc, KerryGold and Chobani all found themselves in legal battles spanning trademark infringements to reports of assault over the past month. Here’s what we know so far about the cases, why they were filed, and what they could mean for the companies involved.

Emphasizing environmental and nutritional transparency for the labels and ingredients in both its chocolate and snacking lineups, the confectionary giant announced a sweeping set of changes from sourcing to packaging that the company hopes will give consumers more choices.

Amplify Snack Brands, the company behind SkinnyPop Popcorn, and snack giant Snyder’s-Lance began a legal battle over the word “skinny” last week. Amplify filed a federal trademark infringement and unfair competition lawsuit against Snyder’s over the company’s plans to start selling its newly acquired popcorn brand, Metcalfe’s Skinny, in the U.S.

Earlier this month, State Senator Bob Wieckowski, a Democrat, introduced California SB 504, a bill that would require warning labels on all food containing synthetic dyes, including those sold in restaurants. It’s an issue that may cause food manufacturers to reconsider their use of synthetic colors not just in California, but nationwide.

During a public meeting on March 9, the agency was urged to consider both nutrient content and food type when defining the term ‘healthy” on labels. The FDA will consider all comments and written submissions during this public comment period to decide how best to update its guidelines.