Beyond being extremely creepy, this orange cat helped to make the current regulatory regime for color additives in the United States. This orange cat was dyed with an excessive amount of FD&C Orange No. 1 — a previously permitted color additive dating back to the original Pure Food and Drug Act. Excessive amounts of this…
Author: John Johnson
I have a passion for history and FDA, which I get to incorporate daily into my work of practicing food and drug law at Shook, Hardy & Bacon.
Show-&-Tell: Decomposed Tomatoes in the Ketchup
Before the clean label movement, there was the pure food movement and a major fear was ketchup. This excellent condiment had been associated with being made from decomposed materials. It was this (pure food) which Heinz built its brand-on, and FDA spent its time removed ketchup consisting of decomposed materials from the market – like…
Show-&-Tell: FDA’s Regulation of Fireworks
FDA once regulated the fireworks we are enjoying to celebrate the new year. FDA is one of the oldest consumer protection agency in the United States and, for a longtime, essentially the only agency with such a charge. Thus when Congress passed a new consumer protection law, it historically fell to FDA to implement and enforce…
FDA Approved: Thanksgiving Cranberries
People are familiar with FDA approved drugs and medical devices, but FDA does not approve food items. Except for one year when FDA approved the Thanksgiving cranberries. At a press conference, November 9, 1959, Cabinet Secretary Arthur Flemming announced that FDA testing detected aminotriazole in the cranberry crop from Oregon and Washington State. Aminotriazole is pesticide that caused carcinogen…
Show-&-Tell: FDA at the Port
In 1974, FDA added 14 mobile laboratories, which allowed the Agency to inspect imported foods at the dock. The law gives FDA the authority to examine imported food (and any other FDA commodity) to verify its compliance. If FDA concludes the product appears non-compliant, then FDA shall refuse its importation. This fundamental legal authority has remained…
When Regulations Lie: Why does FDA Hate Metric … or at least Shows it No Love?
I love Mountain Dew, and when at the store I am faced with a puzzle do I buy the 2 liter, 6-20 fluid ounce bottles, or 12-12 fluid ounce cans. For me this decision is driven by one factor: how I can get more Mountain Dew for less money? Fortunately, this puzzle can be solved…
Show-&-Tell: How Much are you Buying?
How much extract is in this bottle? It’s a standard 2oz size, but actually contains only 1oz. When originally passed, the Pure Food and Drug Act of 1906 did not require the label to declare its contents. Thus fraudsters used various means to trick consumers into buying less. This legal gap was filled by Congress…
Food Fraud: Apple Cider Vinegar
Vinegar is a ubiquitous food that consists of acetic acid, water, and other constituent sub-ingredients (depending on the source material). The forms are numerous: white, balsamic, malt, and apple cider. This common, and relatively inexpensive product, was a common source of food fraud and help lead to the passage of the Pure Food and Drug…
When Cracker Jack had to Throw out the Toy …
Cracker Jack is a beloved staple of baseball games with their combination of caramel covered popcorn and peanuts, and a toy! The simple toy is perhaps the defining characteristic and still is to this day. Yet, this toy once caused FDA to condemn Cracker Jack. Storytime Starting 1912 Cracker Jack consisted of three items: caramel covered popcorn and…
FDA Storytime 