Natalie Rainer practices food and drug law, advising clients on regulatory requirements for foods, dietary supplements, cosmetics, and food and drug packaging in jurisdictions around the world, including North America, Latin America, Europe, Asia, and the Middle East.

Natalie specializes in evaluating the regulatory status of food-contact materials, food additives, and color additives. She counsels companies on advertising and labeling requirements, including claim substantiation, nutrition labeling, menu labeling, and environmental claims. She also provides guidance regarding compliance with U.S. Department of Agriculture regulations, including the Bioengineered Labeling rules, organic rules, and regulations related to additives in meat and poultry products. She is proficient on the practical application of Proposition 65 and assists in defending against Proposition 65 enforcement actions.

Natalie helps clients bring new food additive, color additive, food-contact material, and feed additives to market. She excels in working with color additives and successfully filed four color additive petitions. She regularly prepares Generally Recognized as Safe (GRAS) Notices, Food Contact Notifications, and U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) safety and suitability determinations. Natalie’s experience working in bioethics during law school and attending cooking school gives her a unique perspective to her work, a perspective that benefits her clients.

Representative Matters

• Brought new food and feed ingredients and food contact materials (under the jurisdiction of the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), the Tax and Trade Bureau (TTB), and similar agencies in foreign countries) to market
• Evaluated the use of new food production technologies and new food packaging technologies, including new plastic recycling processes
• Reviewed food labeling for manufacturers of food additives and finished foods and menu labeling for restaurants and other retail food establishments
• Provided assessment of litigation risk posed by claims for food and dietary supplement manufacturers
• Advised on Food Safety Modernization Act compliance, including Hazard Analysis and Risk-Based Preventive Controls and Foreign Supplier Verification Act activities
• Prepared and submitted recalls and Reportable Food Registry submissions
• Studied and gave guidance regarding USDA organic regulations and labeling requirements and USDA labeling for bioengineered foods
• Researched and advised on Federal Trade Commission (FTC) Green Guides

Memberships

• Institute of Food Technologists
• National Asian Pacific American Bar Association
• Food and Drug Law Institute (FDLI) 2021 California Programs Planning Committee