Civil Law

Company refuses to recall apricot products despite FDA warning of possible cyanide poisoning

The FDA is warning consumers against consuming Apricot Power products because of the presence of the toxic compound amygdalin, which can lead to cyanide poisoning.

Following receipt of a complaint and sample results, the Food and Drug Administration notified Apricot Power of the results and initial concerns. On May 8, the firm declined to recall the products. Upon additional assessment of the findings, the FDA held a follow up call with the firm to share the risks associated with these … Read the rest

Civil Law

EU BANS PRODUCTS MADE USING FORCED LABOUR – WHAT SHOULD COMPANIES EXPECT?

On March 5, 2024, the European Parliament and the Council of the European Union reached a “political agreement” on a Regulation prohibiting products made with forced labour (“the EU Forced Labour Regulation” or “the EUFLR“) on the European Union (“EU“) market (see Insight of 6 March 2024 hhttps://www.mayerbrown.com/en/insights/publications/2024/03/eu-political-agreement-on-forced-labor-product-ban). The EUFLR prohibits companies from “placing and making available” on the EU market, or exporting from the EU, products made with forced labour.

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Supreme Court

Maker of CBD products asks court to decide whether lawsuit under criminal racketeering law can go forward

Maker of CBD products asks court to decide whether lawsuit under criminal racketeering law can go forward

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The Petitions of the Week column highlights a selection of cert petitions recently filed in the Supreme Court. A list of all petitions we’re watching is available here.

Organized crime, from the mafia to small-time money laundering schemes, often evades criminal prosecution. To bolster efforts to fight organized crime, Congress passed the Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act, known as RICO, more than 50 years ago. In addition to the criminal penalties for violating RICO, the law also … Read the rest

Civil Law

Consumer groups encourage USDA secretary to continue efforts to make chicken products safer

Several groups, including Consumer Reports and STOP Foodborne Illness, have written to USDA Secretary Tom Vilsack in support of increased food safety efforts regarding Salmonella in poultry.

The groups describe current regulations as “antiquated” and encourage the secretary to move forward to develop new and enforceable standards that are product based. They say such changes are “a commonsense approach” and will help protect consumers from dangerous Salmonella-contaminated poultry.

“These reforms are urgently needed. Salmonella illness rates in the United States … Read the rest

Civil Law

Study shows Brucella problem for raw dairy products in Tunisia

High Brucella contamination rates have been found in ricotta, cheese, and raw milk samples in Tunisia, posing a serious risk to consumers.

A study investigated the occurrence of Brucella in 200 raw milk, ricotta, and artisan fresh cheese samples, collected from four districts in Tunisia. Results are based on Brucella DNA detection and don′t differentiate between live or dead bacteria.

Brucellosis is a significant public health threat for urban and rural populations of endemic countries, particularly the Middle East and North Africa region as … Read the rest