FoodAndDrugAdministration Articles

Cantaloupe Listeria Outbreak Blamed on Unsanitary Packing Plant

4:15PM 10/19/2011

The Food and Drug Administration on Wednesday outlined a chain of causes for the cantaloupe-generated listeria outbreak, saying that traces of the bacteria in the growing fields probably spread by truck to an unsanitary packing plant.

Was Dr. Oz's Apple Juice Arsenic 'Crisis' Just a Ratings Ploy?

11:00AM 9/22/2011

By Bruce Watson

People, Health Care, Media, Food

Last week, TV host Dr. Mehmet Oz took on apple juice, declaring that the classic drink may be slowly poisoning America's children with arsenic. But the FDA and the juice companies have credibly refuted his claims. So was Dr. Oz's announcement meant to be a legitimate health warning, or just a cynical attempt to boost ratings?

Why Sugar Is Suing High Fructose Corn Syrup: A Sticky Question of Names

3:00PM 9/16/2011

By Bruce Watson

Health Care, Food

When you need to give yourself a whole new image, there's nothing like changing your name. Which may be why high fructose corn syrup, the scourge of dieticians and dieters everywhere, wants to rebrand itself "corn sugar." But there's one big obstacle: the sugar industry, which is going to court to protect its good name.

How Safe Are the Drugs in Your Medicine Cabinet?

9:00AM 7/16/2011

By Sheryl Nance-Nash

Health Care

Do you want your new prescription drugs to be made under last century's oversight? Like it or not, that's likely what you're getting -- or worse -- because increasingly, Americans' medicines are made overseas in place where the oversight isn't up to U.S. standards.

My 3 Cents: Organic Foods Vs. Natural Foods -- What Do the Labels Mean?

1:00PM 7/13/2011

By Regina Lewis

Safeway, Green, Whole Foods, Video, Family Money, Food

Last year, grocery sales were up a modest 1.8%, yet sales of organic items more than doubled that growth rate, up 4.4%. Clearly, we're shopping differently. But are we even sure what an "organic" or "all natural" label means? It's more complicated than you might think.

Food label crackdown: FDA slams 17 companies over misleading consumers

4:00PM 3/03/2010

By Mitch Lipka

Biz Brief, Consumer Ally, Food

After years of virtual silence about the labeling tricks food companies play on consumers, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration came out with a loud and clear statement that it will start cracking down on misleading, or flat out wrong, labels. FDA officials sent warning letters to 17 food...

FDA issues warning to Kellogg over listeria bacteria at Eggo plant

12:30PM 2/17/2010

By Mitch Lipka

Consumer Ally, Food, Recalls

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration sent a warning letter to the Kellogg Co. after government testing showed the company's Georgia facility that manufactures Eggo waffles was contaminated with the listeria bacteria and had numerous sanitation violations. The letter, just made public, is a...

FDA warns consumers to beware of counterfeit alli

10:45AM 1/19/2010

By Mitch Lipka

healthcare, Consumer Ally, Crime

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration is warning consumers to beware that a counterfeit version of the over-the-counter diet drug alli is being sold on the Internet. GlaxoSmithKline, which makes alli, told the FDA that its lab tests showed the counterfeit version does not contain orlistat -- the...

Tylenol Arthritis Pain caplets recalled due to smell, nausea and diarrhea

11:00AM 12/30/2009

By Mitch Lipka

healthcare, Consumer Ally, Recalls

McNeil Consumer Healthcare is recalling all 100-count bottles of its Arthritis Pain caplets after reports of a foul smell that has led to nausea, stomach pain and diarrhea. The company describes the smell as moldy, musty or mildewy and said consumers have complained it about it leading to a...

Use food labels to know what you're eating? There's a 1 in 4 chance they're wrong

6:00AM 9/22/2009

By Mitch Lipka

healthcare, Retail, Consumer Ally, Food

The handy little Nutrition Facts label affixed to most packages you'll find in the grocery store was intended to help make it easier to make informed choices about what to eat. That only works if what's on the label is really in the package. About one out of every four labels tested is...