A consumer has alleged that Mondelez Global LLC misleads consumers by marketing its Oreo Fudge Cremes as "fudge covered" because the topping covering the cookies lacks milkfat. Leonard v. Mondelez Global LLC, No. 21-10102 (S.D.N.Y., filed November 28, 2021). The complaint lists several recipes for fudge to support its argument that fudge requires the presence of milkfat, while Mondelez produces its "fudge" with palm oils and nonfat milk. "Fudge covered cookies made with fudge ingredients such as dairy components, containing milkfat, are not a rare or pricy delicacy that would make a reasonable consumer 'double check' their presence by scouring the packaging," the plaintiff argues. "The front label creates an erroneous impression that essential fudge ingredients are present." The complaint compares the "fudge" ingredients to the "truthful and non-misleading 'Mint' representations, through words and pictures of peppermint leaf," which are accurate because the product contains peppermint oil, the plaintiff explains.…
Category Archives Issue 771
A plaintiff has filed a putative class action alleging Abbott Laboratories Inc.'s Similac Pro-Advance infant formula is advertised as the company's "closest formula to breastmilk," allegedly misleading consumers into believing that the formula can convey the same benefits as breast milk. Conner v. Abbott Labs. Inc., No. 21-1463 (S.D. Ill., Benton Div., filed November 20, 2021). "Infant formula is critical for children whose mothers are unable to breastfeed or produce enough milk," the complaint asserts. "Marketing of infant formula sometimes goes beyond meeting those limited needs, to tout itself as an equivalent to breast milk. The representations that the Product contains lutein, vitamin E, DHA, and HMO—Human Milk Oligosaccharide, and the claim, 'Our Closest Formula to Breast Milk,' imply the inclusion of these constituents can approach the benefits from breast milk." The plaintiff seeks class certification, injunctive relief, damages and fees for allegations of fraud, unjust enrichment, negligent misrepresentation and…
By Of Counsel John Johnson III The U.S. Food and Drug Administration’s (FDA) Warning Letter to Maribel’s Sweets, Inc., provides an important look into how FDA is implementing the Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA)’s Preventive Control Rule. This is the requirement that a food facility must have and implement a written food safety plan to control known or reasonably foreseeable food safety hazards. Additionally, the warning reflects that FDA continues to prioritize seeking compliance with preventive controls and sanitation practices to avoid undeclared Major Food Allergens (which we discussed in A Taste of FDA’s 2021 Food Priorities: Undeclared Major Food Allergens. The list has been expanded to include sesame, which we discussed in Look Beyond the Label: How the FASTER Act Impacts Food Manufacturing). FDA has been relatively silent about the Preventive Control Rule in 2021, issuing only four Warning Letters directly on that topic. For context, FDA issued at…
