By Ricardo Carvajal – In two studies recently published in Nature (see here and here) scientists report success applying a novel technique to more precisely insert genes conferring herbicide resistance into corn and tobacco. In addition to enabling greater precision, the technique results in stable …
By Ricardo Carvajal – FDA has announced that it expects compliance with its final rule prohibiting the use of certain cattle origin materials (e.g., brains and spinal cords from cattle 30 months of age and older) in the food or feed of all animals on …
By Susan J. Matthees – Last week FDA published a memorandum titled “FDA Comments on Symbols Public Hearing and Current Plans for Addressing Issues.” The memorandum responds to questions and issues raised during a September 10-11, 2007 hearing titled "Use of Symbols to Communicate Nutrition …
By Ricardo Carvajal & John R. Fleder – On April 20, 2009, the U.S. Supreme Court let stand the Third Circuit’s decision in Fellner v. Tri-Union Seafoods. As we discussed in a prior posting, Fellner’s lawsuit contends that Tri-Union is guilty of negligence under New Jersey …
By William T. Koustas – On April 20th, the Federal Trade Commission ("FTC") announced that it has brought, and at the same time tentatively settled, charges of false advertising brought under the FTC Act against Kellogg, the world’s largest cereal maker. The FTC accused Kellogg …
By Ricardo Carvajal – The USDA Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (“APHIS”) will hold a public meeting on April 29 and 30 to foster discussion of certain issues that were raised during the comment period for its proposed rule on Importation, Interstate Movement, and Release …
By Ricardo Carvajal – FDA has announced that it will hold a public meeting on “economically motivated adulteration” to foster discussion about ways that FDA-regulated industries can “better predict and prevent economically motivated adulteration with a focus on situations that pose the greatest public health …
By Ricardo Carvajal – Among the myriad proposals to overhaul the nation’s ailing food safety system, at least one calls for splitting off FDA’s food safety programs and incorporating them into a new Food Safety Administration ("FSA") within the U.S. Department of Health and Human …
By Ricardo Carvajal – The latest Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) gives credence to a possible link between higher intake of sodium and an increased risk of hypertension. According to CDC, nearly 70% of U.S. adults …
By Ricardo Carvajal – In June 2008, the Technical Committee on Dietary Lipids of the International Life Sciences Institute sponsored a workshop titled “Towards Dietary Reference Intakes for Omega-3 Fatty Acids.” A summary of the workshop participants' conclusions is now published in the Journal of …
By Riëtte van Laack & J.P. Ellison – The Seventh Circuit’s March 12, 2009 decision in United States v. Farinella starkly shows what can happen when, as the court concluded, a prosecutor relies on bad facts for the government and combines that with no controlling law, …
By Ricardo Carvajal – The Augusta Chronicle reports that the Georgia legislature will soon be sending new food safety legislation to Gov. Sonny Perdue for his signature. Senate Bill 80 (S.B. 80), which was unanimously approved by both houses, directs the Commissioner of Agriculture to issue …
By Riëtte van Laack & Ricardo Carvajal – In a reversal of a U.S. Court of Federal Claims decision, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit held in Rose Acre Farms, Inc. v. United States that an egg producer did not suffer a …
By Riëtte van Laack – In 2004, the State of California sued three tuna companies, Tri-Union Seafoods, LLC, Del Monte Corporation, and Bumble Bee Seafoods, LLC, for violation of California’s Proposition 65 because they failed to provide the required clear and reasonable warning that their …
By Ricardo Carvajal– In an address highlighting the need to tackle problems with the nation’s food safety system, President Obama today announced the appointments of Dr. Margaret Hamburg as the new FDA Commissioner and Dr. Joshua Sharfstein as Principal Deputy Commissioner with primary responsibility for …
