Prop 65
Allan Zackler, Wendel, Rosen: Prop 65 cases are likely to expand in the coming year as new, more rigorous regulations come into play.
Recent notices filed by OEHHA cover substances including arsenic in dietary supplements; cadmium, lead and lead compounds in dietary supplements and breastfeeding supplements; acrylamide in French fried and sweet potatoes, nuggets and crackers; lead and arsenic in cinnamon, cumin, curry powder, psyllium husk powder, chocolate and energy shakes; and cadmium in chocolate.
That said, a longer-term issue for the food industry, as well as the rest of humanity, will be the effects of climate change on agricultural crops and fishing. More wildfires, flooding, hurricanes and temperature changes will affect crop production, growing seasons, crab and lobster fishing and much more.