FoodLegal Bulletin, March, 2007

FREE ARTICLE!
Nutrient quality can vary significantly, even between different items of the same food.  What usefulness does a Nutrition Information Panel have if the law permits the inclusion of data that ignores huge variability in nutrient profile data? Is the food law that requires a Nutrition Information Panel really meaningful to inform consumers about what is nutritious or healthier food? How scientific is the approach of the law, or are Nutrition Information Panels merely intended to blind consumers by science?

Food businesses must plan for the risk of a food recall. Contamination or other defects may necessitate product withdrawal from time to time but a full food recall especially directed at the level of consumers must be triggered if any safety risks exist. The costs can be prodigious and could drive an ill-prepared business towards insolvency. Many business people mistakenly believe that product liability insurance or public liability insurance will meet the costs of a full recall. In this article of 2,200 words, we highlight why this is not so and we explain the costs which can arise out of a product recall and the limitations of insurance policy coverage.