Riëtte van Laack, Ph.D. Director 202-737-9637
Riëtte van Laack, Ph.D.
Practice Areas
Industries
FDA Regulatory Categories

Overview

Riëtte van Laack, Ph.D., provides regulatory counsel on OTC products, including foods and dietary supplements, OTC drugs, cosmetics, and animal feed and drugs on a range of FDA, USDA, FTC, and CPSC issues.

Ms. van Laack has substantial experience with food and dietary supplement issues, labeling and advertising. She counsels clients regarding GMP and HACCP compliance issues, Reportable Food Registry issues, and responses to warning letters. Ms. van Laack advises clients on regulatory strategy, including requirements pertaining to self-determinations of GRAS status and determinations of new dietary ingredient status.  Ms. van Laack also has substantial experience with regulation regarding labeling and advertising of over-the-counter (OTC) drugs and cosmetics. Ms. van Laack’s practice includes USDA regulatory issues ranging from requirements for import of animal products (APHIS), use of ingredients in meat, poultry, and egg products (FSIS), and organic labeling requirements (AMS).  Ms. van Laack conducts due diligence evaluations of FDA- and USDA-regulated companies. She additionally assists clients with compliance and liability issues related to products regulated both by the CPSC and FDA.

Ms. van Laack has advanced degrees in Nutrition and Meat Science, and more than 15 years experience in food research.   Ms. van Laack was a professor at the Department of Food Science and Technology at the University of Tennessee.  While in law school, Ms. van Laack was an Articles Editor of theTennessee Law Review.

Education & Admissions

Education

J.D., summa cum laude, University of Tennessee College of Law
Ph.D., Meat Science, University of Utrecht
M.S., Human Nutrition, Agricultural University of Wageningen

Admissions

District of Columbia
Georgia

Experience

Foods and Dietary Supplements

  • Evaluates the regulatory status of ingredients and assists in the preparation of food additive petitions, GRAS self-determinations, and new dietary ingredient notifications.
  • Counsels on labeling requirements including health, nutrient content, and structure/function claims, country of origin labeling, natural claims, and other marketing claims.
  • Counsels clients concerning the development and marketing of specialized products, such as medical foods and foods for special dietary use.
  • Provides counsel on organic regulations and helps companies with petitions to place ingredients on the National List  of Allowed and Prohibited Substances.
  • Helps companies develop USDA-regulated products, including ingredients for use in meats, poultry, and egg products.
  • Interprets state labeling requirements, including California’s Proposition 65.

OTC Drugs and Cosmetics

  • Helps companies interpret and comply with OTC drug monographs and other regulations.
  • Advises on the regulatory status of cosmetic and drug ingredients and requirements applicable to promotional claims for cosmetic and OTC drug products.
  • Reviews labeling for OTC drug products and cosmetics.
  • Reviews and advises clients regarding child resistant packaging and other CPSC regulated issues.

Advertising and Promotion

  • Advises clients on the requirements regarding labeling and advertising claims for foods, dietary supplements, OTC drugs, and cosmetics.
  • Provides counsel on responses to Civil Investigative Demands by the FTC and challenges by NAD and competitors.
  • Challenges competitor claims before NAD and ERSP.

Animal Drugs and Feed

  • Assists clients in response to FDA import detentions and provides counsel regarding import of animal products.
  • Counsels clients regarding AAFCO Official Definitions for use of new ingredients in animal feed and pet foods.
  • Reviews labeling and advertising for animal and pet food.
  • Assists with GRAS determinations for animal feed ingredients.

Speaking Engagements

  • FDLI’s 2024 Annual Conference, Federal and State Tensions on Food Ingredient and Additive Safety, May 15-16, 2024
  • ACI’s Legal, Regulatory & Compliance Forum on Cosmetics & Personal Care Products, Pre-Conference Workshop A – The Foundation of Beauty: An Introduction to Cosmetics and Personal Care Products Law and Regulation, September 27-29, 2023
  • ACC’s Nutrition Law Symposium, Updates on the FTC Notice of Penalty Offense, earnings, product claims, and influencers guidelines, September 8 2023
  • IFT FIRST Short Course: Labeling Requirements and Implications for Food Marketed in the US, July 15-16,2023
  • ACI, Legal, Regulatory, and Compliance Forum on Cosmetics & Personal Care Products Conference, Aesthetic Market Focus: Is it a Cosmetic? or a Drug? or a Device?, March 28-29, 2023
  • FDLI In-Person Course Introduction to Food Law and Regulation, Food Labeling: Nutrient Content, Health, and Other Claims, March 21-22, 2023
  • IFT First: Annual Event and Expo, Short Course:  Labeling Requirements and Implications for Foods Marketed in the U.S., July 10-13, 2022
  • FDLI, Introduction to Food Law & Regulation, Food Labeling: Nutrient Content, Health, and Other Claims, March 28-29, 2022
  • ACC-Mountain West, Nutrition Law Symposium, DSHEA 2.0, September 10, 2021
    FDLI Introduction to Food Law and Regulation, Food Labeling: Nutrient Content, Health, and Other Claims, March 16-18, 2021
  • ACI Food Law – Regulation, Compliance and Litigation, Virtual Event, Food Law and Regulation 101: A Primer on Applicable Laws, Regulations and Key Agencies Having Authority over Food, July 14-16, 2020
  • SHIFT20 Conference, Labeling Requirements and Implications for Foods Marketed in the U.S, July 11, 2020
  • ACI Food Law: Regulation, Compliance and Litigation Conference, Food Law and Regulation 101: A Primer on Applicable Laws, Regulations and Key Agencies Having Authority over Food, March 31 – April 2, 2020
  • Cereals & Grains Association, 2019 Annual Meeting, Syposium: Challenges and Solutions for Making Protein Claims, November 3-5, 2019
  • FDLI, Introduction to Food Law and Regulation, Food Safety: Ingredient Preclearance/Intentional Components of Food, September 24-25, 2019
  • ACI Legal, Regulatory and Compliance Forum on Dietary Supplements, Probiotics: Understanding the Unique Legal Challenges Posed by this Distinct and Booming Category of Microorganisms, June 18-20, 2019
  • IFT 2019, Labeling Requirements and Implications for Foods Marketed in the U.S, June 1-5, 2019
  • ACI Food Law – Regulation, Compliance and Litigation Conference, Breakfast Briefing on the Jurisdiction, Responsibilities, and Interplay of Key Agencies Involved in Food Regulation, April 9-11, 2019
  • GMA Science Forum, Learning Lab Session 6: From Crackers to Cleaning Products: An Open Forum on Ingredient Disclosure, March 26-27, 2019
  • Panelist, ACI Cosmetics & Personal Care Products – Legal, Regulatory and Compliance Conference, The Politics and Policies of Beauty: Deciphering the Implications of Proposed Legislative Reform for the Cosmetics and Personal Care Products Industries in 2019, March 25-27, 2019
  • FDLI Introduction to Food Law and Regulation, Framework for Food Additive Regulation, March 19-20, 2019
  • FDLI Introduction to US Food Law and Regulation, Food Safety:  Unintended Components/ Contaminants of Food, September 24-25, 2018
  • IFT18: A Matter of Science + Food, July 15-18, 2018
  • ACI-CRN Legal, Regulatory and Compliance Forum on Dietary Supplements, Unraveling the Complexities of the Next Wave of FSMA Regulations, June 18-20, 2018
  • MoniQA Symposium – Food Fraud Prevention and Effective Food Allergen Management, The ‘Failure’ of Laboratory Tests, June 7-8, 2018
  • Skin Microbiome Congress, Regulatory Considerations – Cosmetic, Drug or Both? How Much Can You Really Claim?, May 30-31, 2018
  • The Advertising and Self-Regulatory Council and Electronic Retailing Self-Regulation Program Summit and Fly In, May 23, 2018
  • Food and Drug Law Institute Annual Conference:  Exploring Advanced Topics in Food and Drug Law, Moderator, Key Trends and Questions in FSMA Inspections and Compliance of Animal Food, May 3-4, 2018
  • American Conference Institute Legal, Regulatory, and Compliance Forum on Cosmetics & Personal Care Product, Always Judge a Product by its Label:  An Overview of Current Labeling Laws, Regulations, and Case Law, March 5-7, 2018
  • Food Labeling: Evolving Regulatory Compliance Conference:  Industry Action on Delay of FDA Nutrition Facts Label Regulation Implementation, January 29-30, 2018
  • American Conference Institute Food Law and Regulation Boot Camp:  A Practical Guide to The New Nutrition Facts Label, November 13-15, 2017
  • Food and Drug Law Institute Introduction to Food Law and Regulation, Food Safety: Ingredient Preclearance/Intentional Components of Food, October 11-12, 2017
  • Food Contact & Additives Conference, Food Label Compliance: Hot Topics, September 25-27, 2017
  • Food Advertising and Litigation Conference, Panel Moderator, Inter-Agency Overlap and Jurisdictional Boundaries, September 13-14, 2017
  • Pre-IFT17 Short Course, Labeling Requirements and Implications for Foods Marketed in the U.S., June 23-25, 2017
  • Labeling Requirements and Implications for Food Marketed in the U.S., December 13-14, 2016
  • ACI Food and Regulation Boot Camp, An Overview of Food Labeling Laws, Regulations, and the Components of a Compliant Label, November 15-16, 2016
Education

J.D., summa cum laude, University of Tennessee College of Law
Ph.D., Meat Science, University of Utrecht
M.S., Human Nutrition, Agricultural University of Wageningen

Admissions

District of Columbia
Georgia

Practice Areas
Industries
FDA Regulatory Categories