§ 23-1-40 — § 23-1-40. Misrepresentation on menu of food or food products.

§ 23-1-40. Misrepresentation on menu of food or food products.

(a) It shall be unlawful for any person, firm, or corporation to misrepresent on a menu the identity of any food or food products to any of the patrons or customers of eating establishments including, but not limited to, restaurants, hotels, cafes, lunch counters, or other places where food is regularly prepared and sold for consumption on or off the premises.

(b) The identity of any food or food products shall be deemed misrepresented if:

(1) Its description is false or misleading in any particular;

(2) Its description omits information which, by its omission, renders the description false or misleading in any particular;

(3) It is served, sold, or distributed under the name of another food or food product; or

(4) It purports to be or is represented as a food or food product for which a definition of identity and standard of quality has been established by custom and usage unless it conforms to that definition and standard.

(c) Any person, firm, or corporation who violates any provisions of this section shall be guilty of a misdemeanor and for each violation and misrepresentation on a menu shall be punished by a fine of not more than five hundred dollars ($500).

(d) This section shall not apply to any section or sections of a retail food or grocery store which do not provide facilities for consumption of food or food products on the premises.

(e) The director of health is authorized to promulgate reasonable rules and regulations that are necessary to carry into effect the provisions of this section. The department of health shall have concurrent jurisdiction with the department of attorney general in the enforcement of this section.

Legislative History

P.L. 1988, ch. 540, § 1.