When you think of plaintiff's lawyers, two images probably come to mind: Consumer crusaders like Erin Brockovich or grubby ambulance-chasers in John Grisham novels. But where in this spectrum should we insert the top attorneys representing plaintiffs...
With roughly a month to go until voters in Washington State decide whether GMO foods should be labeled, shareholder advocates are calling on the top 10 donors who helped fund the opposition against California’s Prop 37 last year, which was narrowly defeated,...
The Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition's (CFSAN) priority to publish guidance to help manufacturers with voluntarily GMO labeling could signal a change in thinking at the agency, says the United Natural Products Alliance (UNPA).
Is there a natural ceiling to the gluten-free market? Is the party over for energy drinks? Are '100%-natural' claims worth the hassle? Find out in FoodNavigator-USA's round up of 10 of the hottest topics in US food and beverage development.Click...
In a world that has seen such unlikely yet brilliant combinations as taco shells made of Doritos and tornados made up of man-eating sharks, why not a chip that’s half tortilla, half potato?
Stevia specialist Steviva Ingredients has developed an organic syrup combining blue agave nectar and stevia extract that is suitable for formulators looking to cut calories and maintain clean labels in sauces and dressings, bars, beverages and baked goods.
The Organic Consumers Association (OCA) announced that it opposes federally mandated voluntary GMO labeling in favor of states’ rights to enforce mandatory GMO labeling, arguing that voluntary labeling could end state GMO laws and legitimate non-GMO-certified...
As consumer and retailer demand for third party-verified non-GMO product labels shows no signs of slowing, NSF International announced that it will join the Non-GMO Project as a technical administrator in early 2014.
A bill proposing sweeping changes to food labeling laws covering everything from ‘natural’ claims to whole grain statements has been welcomed by consumer groups, but stands little chance of success, legal experts have told FoodNavigator-USA.
US retail sales of non-GMO foods and beverages are projected to increase at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 12.9% in the next five years, and could represent 30% of the market with a value of $264bn in 2017, predicts Packaged Facts.
AquaBounty Technologies - which is hoping to become the first company to introduce a genetically engineered (GE) animal to the human food supply - has posted a net loss of $2.05m for the six months to June 30, 2013 - down from $2.4m in the same period...
Requiring food manufacturers to label products containing ingredients from genetically engineered (GE) crops would not mean higher food prices for shoppers, according to an independent study released yesterday by the Just Label It coalition.
Is it too risky to label products that may contain ingredients from genetically engineered crops as ‘all-natural’? And will the FDA step in and decide this issue so consumer class action lawsuits over this issue stop clogging up the court system?
In the 2nd major development this week in the debate over whether foods made with GMOs can be labeled ‘natural’, a NY judge handling a multi-district lawsuit vs Frito-Lay says she will not refer the matter to the FDA, as her counterparts have done in...
‘Eco-eating’, which encompasses everything from edible packaging trends to sustainable seafood, is moving from natural stores and fancy restaurants to the mainstream of food culture, according to a new report.
A new entrant is set to stir up the long stagnant shelf stable meat replacement market. Neat Foods, a Lancaster, PA-based startup, will debut its line of vegan, gluten- and soy-free, non GMO meat replacements at the upcoming Expo East trade show in New...
When Garden of Life looked at extending its protein and meal replacement lines with coffee and yerba mate flavors, the company was looking for partners that were the right fit both in terms of ingredient quality and service but also in terms of outlook,...
GMO laws are vague and this is driving up ‘all natural’ class action lawsuits but consumers need to do more to steer the conversation, says cereal and snack maker Barbara’s, who recently settled a case to the tune of $4m.
Big interview, Yves Potvin, founder and CEO, Garden Protein (Gardein)
Despite all the recent hype about plant-based protein, the frozen meat alternatives category was stuck in a bit of a rut until pretty recently, says the man behind the fastest growing brand in the market.
Sales of organic products rose 13% to $11.2bn in the year to July 6 in the US retail market, with the highest growth found in shelf-stable meats, poultry and seafood (+61%); followed by baby food (+34%); and shelf-stable functional beverages (+33%); according...
Booming consumer desire for GMO-free products has been the driving force behind Barbara’s efforts towards non-GMO certification, says its vice president of marketing.
A Minnesota-based firm making waves with anthocyanin-packed purple-corn ingredients says it has had significant interest from the snack food market, but is also talking to microbrewers, confectioners, and firms manufacturing everything from sourdough...
The media frenzy surrounding AquaBounty’s GE salmon and the accompanying ‘Frankenfish’ headlines obscure the fact that it is "just a fast-growing fish”, according to one animal biotechnology specialist.
What precedent might it set if firms are forced to label foods made using new technologies, even if the end product does not differ in any meaningful way from foods developed by ‘traditional’ methods?
If you plot them both on a graph, the rise in diagnosed cases of autism correlates closely with the rise in sales of organic foods. So do organic foods cause autism? Of course not.
Food ingredients distributor Univar has launched a new online formulation tool that the company says will streamline the decision making process for customers.
If you are interested in how the FDA determines the safety of genetically engineered (GE) animals for human consumption, here's some light reading for you.
Plant-based proteins were a hot topic at the IFT show this year, whether from algae, pea, rice, soy or other plant-based sources. One firm making waves in this market is RiceBran Technologies, which caught up with FoodNavigator-USA at our booth to talk...
Chobani has vowed to “explore the complexities” of genetically modified organisms (GMOs) following the launch of a petition in the US that claims it is reliant on milk from cows fed a diet full of genetically-altered produce.
A week after California judge Yvonne Gonzalez Rogers put a class action lawsuit (Cox vs Gruma Corp) on ice for six months to let the FDA determine whether GMOs belong in foods marketed as ‘natural’, a judge in Colorado has followed her lead in a similar...
Two leading trade associations representing the natural products and dietary supplements sectors have clarified their stance on GMO labeling this week, with the American Herbal Products Association (AHPA) favoring voluntary disclosure of the absence of...
Day three of the show began with a lively education session on genetically engineered crops - and whether to label foods containing ingredients derived from them - (standing room only), followed by a final whistle-stop tour of the expo floor to see what’s...
ACTION WILL REIGNITE ROW OVER WHETHER FDA SHOULD BETTER DEFINE 'NATURAL'
PepsiCo brand Naked Juice will stop using ‘all natural’ to describe its products due to lack of detailed regulatory guidance around the word ‘natural’, after agreeing to settle a class action for $9m.
Lawyers defending food industry clients in consumer class actions over whether GMOs belong in 'natural' products say courts should follow a California judge's lead and let the FDA determine this matter once and for all, so such cases stop...
healthyAisles - a merchandising system enabling retailers to highlight products containing attributes from ‘low sodium’ to ‘good source of calcium’ via customized shelf tags and other tools - is now used in more than 5,000 stores across the US.
Big interview: Dr Roger Beachy, CEO, Global Institute for Food Security
One of the founding fathers of agricultural biotechnology, best-known for his pioneering research on virus-resistant plants, Dr Roger Beachy caught up with FoodNavigator-USA to give us his perspective on the current debate over the role of GM crops in...
Is it a safer bet to say 'Made with natural ingredients' than 'All-natural' on pack? Are consumers in the UK and the US looking for different cues on a label to determine if something is natural or wholesome? And did you know that...
Big interview, Gregory Jaffe, Director of Biotechnology, CSPI
The Center for Science in the Public Interest (CSPI) has made a name for itself by tackling the food industry’s big guns on everything from artery-furring entrees to misleading label claims. But where does it stand on genetically modified organisms (GMOs)?
The US Department of Agriculture has approved a non GMO label for meat and liquid egg products, demonstrating that the animals’ feed was free of genetically modified corn, soy or other feed.
The beleaguered boss of AquaBounty Technologies says Sen Lisa Murkowski's attempts to force mandatory labeling of his firm's genetically engineered (GE) salmon are "another setback" in what has been a "dreadful experience",...
USDA certified organic on a food label means something concrete. ‘Natural’ or ‘clean label’ mean something rather more fluid. But while the stream of lawsuits over ‘natural’ claims suggests more clarity is needed - particularly on GMOs - some general...
60-second interview: Rohit Tibrewala, CEO, Roha, North America
As part of FoodNavigator-USA’s probe into clean labels ahead of our June 26 Natural & Clean Label Trends 2013 online event, Elaine Watson caught up with Rohit Tibrewala CEO, Roha, North America, to talk natural colors…
Chipotle has started adding a red ‘G’ for GMOs next to foods on its online menu that are made using ingredients that may come from genetically modified crops such as corn and soy.
A federal judge handling a lawsuit filed in California over ‘all-natural’ claims on Mission tortilla chips has recommended that the case be put on hold for six months to give the FDA time to determine whether products containing GMOs should be labeled...
