Regulatory

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.

The Organic Trade Association (OTA) is looking to equivalency trade arrangements as a way to increase more organic options on shelves. During a Natural Products Expo West event last week in Anaheim, Calif. Monique Marez, the OTA’s director of international trade, said it is just a question of standards.

Consumers may be increasingly demanding cleaner labels and better-for-you food options, but a recent U.S. Department of Agriculture report is suggesting that those same shoppers may not be putting their mouth where their money is.

Keeping dairy in the barnyard rather than out among the crops, the proposed bill, the Dairy Pride Act, declares that dairy foods should be made from the secretions of hoofed animals only.

In May 2016, The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) unveiled updates to the Nutrition Facts panel that appears on all food and beverage products. Now the agency is clarifying certain details of these changes in its draft guidance issued this week. Industry members have 60 days to submit comments before the final version is drafted.