On May 22, 2025, President Trump’s Make America Healthy Again (MAHA) Commission released an assessment titled “The MAHA Report: Make Our Children Healthy Again Assessment.” The report—framed as a “call to action”—stems from a...more
5/27/2025
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On April 22, 2025, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) and the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) announced a major initiative to voluntarily phase out “petroleum-based synthetic dyes” (i.e., synthetic...more
On March 10, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) issued a press release emphasizing “radical transparency to make sure all Americans know what is in their food” and announcing that HHS Secretary Robert F....more
On Tuesday, FDA proposed a rule that would require a front-of-pack mini nutrition label on most packaged foods by 2028. This is yet another effort by FDA to make it easier for consumers to determine which foods are “healthy”...more
Yesterday, FDA released the final rule that updates the definition for “healthy” nutrient content claims. In an update that may be long overdue, manufacturers who use the term “healthy” (or derivative terms: “health,”...more
While it rarely rules on questions of preemption, the Ninth Circuit took an even rarer step on July 1, 2024 when it took up the question of whether private parties can seek to enforce the provisions of California’s Sherman...more
Late last month, San Francisco resident Kirstin Cobbs initiated a class action lawsuit against poppi after purchasing its product, poppi prebiotic soda, believing the product to be “gut healthy.” Poppi sodas are packaged in...more
This month, California Governor Gavin Newsom signed into law the California Food Safety Act—a bill targeted at enhancing food safety within California. The law bans the manufacture, sale, and distribution of four food...more
In 2018, when former FDA Commissioner Scott Gottlieb famously commented that “an almond doesn’t lactate,” he was adding perhaps the most colorful volley in a long-simmering debate about how the Food and Drug Administration...more
For decades, health-conscious consumers have argued about what it really means for a food to be “healthy.” Is dark chocolate “healthy”? How about breakfast cereal, coffee, or fruit gummies?...more
Originally published by Law360, Claudia Vetesi, Nicole Ozeran, and Lena Gankin authored an article discussing a wave of protein-labeling lawsuits hitting food manufacturers, alleging that their products’ front-label protein...more
Last week the FDA announced that it would lift regulations controlling what can be called “French dressing.” The regulations—which had been in place since 1950—previously required that a product contain 35% vegetable oil and...more
A few years back, the Northern District of California was dubbed the “food court” based on the influx of food misbranding class actions claiming that alleged FDA regulatory infractions constituted violations of California...more
Bruton v. Gerber, No. 15-15174. The district court had dismissed Plaintiff’s unjust enrichment claim, denied class certification for lack of an “ascertainable class,” and granted summary judgment to Gerber because Plaintiff...more
The Big Picture: On Tuesday, Judge Koh granted Kellogg’s Motion to Dismiss in its entirety in Hadley v. Kellogg Sales Company, No. 5:16-cv-04955-LHK (N.D. Cal.). Hadley is one of three cases against well-known cereal makers...more
As we have previously reported, FDA is currently seeking public comments on the use of the term “natural” on food labeling. The announcement came as a surprise since FDA had previously declined requests from consumers, the...more
There has been much recent discussion of the primary jurisdiction doctrine, as well as stay motions based on the doctrine, related to FDA’s review of its evaporated cane juice (ECJ) draft guidance. Now, in its recent...more
On February 16, 2016, U.S. District Judge Sam Sparks of the Western District of Texas dismissed a multidistrict litigation involving 11 putative class action lawsuits against various Whole Foods corporate entities and...more
On November 10, the federal Food and Drug Administration (FDA) announced that it is seeking public comments on use of the term “natural” on food labeling. FDA, “Natural” on Food Labeling (Nov. 10, 2015). The agency explained...more
On June 12, 2014, the U.S. Supreme Court issued an 8-0 ruling1 in favor of Pom Wonderful in a long standing false advertising dispute against rival beverage company Coca-Cola. Reversing the Ninth Circuit’s broad FDA...more
In This Issue:
- California Announces First Consumer Products Subjected To New Green Chemistry Rules
- FDA Issues Final Guidance Distinguishing Liquid Dietary Supplements from Beverages
- Private Surgeon General...more
A long-standing false advertising dispute between beverage companies Pom Wonderful and Coca-Cola has reached the United States Supreme Court and carries far-reaching implications for other food labeling litigation. On January...more
Judge Koh in the Northern District of California recently issued a strong ruling in favor of Chobani, Inc. on a motion to reconsider her prior ruling on Chobani’s motion to dismiss. Kane v. Chobani, Inc., No....more
On July 31, 2013 the Southern District of California refused to certify nationwide classes in nearly identical “all natural” cases brought against Kashi and its subsidiary, Bare Naked. In Astiana v. Kashi Co., Case No....more