Yuba City, CA-based Sunsweet Growers Inc. was warned last October that its Dark Chocolate PlumSweets product was misbranded because its label makes a nutrient content claim that the product does not meet. In its warning letter to Sunsweet, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) stated that, under federal law, “a claim that characterizes the level of a nutrient which is of the type required to be in the labeling of the food must be made in accordance with a regulation authorizing the use of such a claim.” “Characterizing the level of a nutrient in the labeling of a food product without complying with the specific requirements pertaining to nutrient content claims for that nutrient misbrands the product … .” the FDA letter continued. FDA indicated that Sunsweet’s Dark Chocolate PlumSweets make an “implied nutrient content claim” because it suggests that the product “may be useful in maintaining healthy dietary practices … .” Specifically, the product label claims that Dark Chocolate PlumSweets are “deliciously sweet and healthy diced plums,” making it possible to “Indulge in the Ultimate Antioxidant treat,” along with other claims. In the warning letter, FDA alleges that such claims are not consistent with the product’s nutrition label, including the amount of saturated fat that would be necessary to make a healthy product claim on the label. The agency noted that its misbranding concerns were not intended to be an all-inclusive list of violations that may exist with reference to either the company’s products or its labeling. Two seafood processors, one in Chile and the other in NY, were also among those getting warning letters from FDA in late 2014. A Nov. 24 warning letter went out to Sociedad Guidomar Ltda in Coquimbo, Chile, and a Dec. 18 warning letter was sent to Wild Edibles Inc. in Bronx, NY. The two seafood processors were warned that they need to be in compliance with federal Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Points (HACCP) regulations. The Chilean seafood processor did not have a HACCP plan that listed all the processing steps for its products and did not list refrigerated storage as a critical control point, FDA’s letter stated. Wild Edibles was also found to be in serious violation of HACCP regulations for not having completed a hazard analysis for each of its products, including no hazard plan for parasites in fish products consumed raw, FDA stated. In each letter, FDA requested that the companies provide written responses detailing steps taken to bring the facilities into compliance with food-safety laws and regulations, to correct violations cited in the letters, and to prevent their recurrence. Recipients of these warning letters have 15 working days from receipt to outline specific steps they have taken to come into compliance with the law.