Flour mill files ‘gluten-free lawsuit’

Bob’s Red Mill reportedly wants to continue to use a red, circular “GF” symbol on its packaging that the Gluten Intolerance Group of North America says looks enough like its own certification mark to throw off consumers. After receiving a letter from GIG claiming that consumers may be confused by its use of the symbol on its non-GIG certified products, Bob’s Red Mill filed a lawsuit in a U.S. district court in Portland claiming that GIG does not have exclusive rights to use a GF symbol, and that Bob's Red Mill has developed its own system for manufacturing and testing gluten-free products. It’s seeking a judgement that will allow it to continue using the symbol without obtaining GIG certification. Read more at Capital Press…

Soozy’s closes on $2.5 million in seed capital from BIGR Ventures and AccelFoods

Soozy’s, which launched in the fall of 2017, makes frozen grain-free muffins from a mix of almond, arrowroot and coconut flours, and other real food ingredients. The brand has found a home in the freezer case at 500 stores across Texas, the Northeast and Mid-Atlantic. Investors in the seed round include BIGR, a growth equity fund that invests in early-stage natural and organic products companies, and AccelFoods, a fund and incubator focused exclusively on CPG. Read more at PR Newswire…

San Diego may ban plastic foam food containers over pollution concerns

Polystyrene is a nonbiodegradable plastic foam used in takeaway containers, egg cartons, coolers and other products. More than 100 cities in California have already banned it over concerns about ocean pollution, but San Diego would become the largest California city to do so if the city council votes yes in September. Read more at The Hill…

Food containers alert users when contents need to be eaten

Chicago-based startup Ovie has a tech-powered idea for reducing food waste at the consumer level. It’s created containers featuring smart tags that change color—green, yellow or red—based on what the food is and how long it’s been in the fridge. They’re available for pre-order via Kickstart. Read more at Spring Wise…

Soda ad blitzes conspicuously match food stamp schedules, study says

Grocery shoppers are two to four times more likely to see grocery store displays for sugary drinks on the days that states distribute food stamps, according to a study to be published later this year in the American Journal of Preventive Medicine, suggesting there might be more than just a lack of education and healthy choices . Read more at Chicago Tribune…