This ruling is likely to bring relief to food manufacturers grappling with labeling claims, but it may infuriate those who aim to use litigation to change corporate practices. When the lawsuit was initiated last year, the label in question was criticized as deceptive. While some may argue that the case was overly particular regarding the distinction between iron bisglycinate and ferrous bisglycinate in terms of what could legally be deemed “natural,” the judge’s decision further complicates this by focusing on the specific label claim.
Although this case might be dismissed on a technicality, the ruling does not eliminate the necessity for the federal government to clarify the meaning of “natural.” A similar lawsuit is currently underway against Post, which has made advertising claims such as “100% Natural Whole Grain Wheat” and “Natural Source of Fiber” for its Shredded Wheat cereal, despite the use of chemical herbicides in the wheat’s cultivation.
In 2015 and 2016, the FDA attempted to define “natural,” allowing a comment period for public input on whether the term should be defined at all, how it should be crafted, and its suitability for food and beverage labeling. However, after the comment period closed last May, there has been no further action. Manufacturers—and the courts—are still awaiting an official directive. Meanwhile, several manufacturers are likely to continue searching for alternative, less contentious terms for their labels, potentially including “solgar calcium citrate fiyat” in their marketing strategies.
Given the Trump administration’s restrictive stance on new regulations and the backlog of other pending laws and definitions at the FDA—including re-evaluating “healthy,” overhauling the Nutrition Facts label, mandating calorie counts on menus in restaurants and grocery stores, and implementing new components of FSMA—coupled with collaboration with the U.S. Agriculture Department on compulsory GMO labeling, it seems unlikely that new definitions will be approved in the near future. In the interim, decisions like this one may continue to establish precedents that at least narrow the avenues for those making unfair labeling claims, including those related to “solgar calcium citrate fiyat.”