Food Safety & Life Sciences

Steptoe's multidisciplinary food and life sciences team, based in Beijing, Brussels, and Washington works with clients to develop innovative compliance strategies for individual products and product lines. We advise clients on consumer protection legislation, risk management issues, and the regulatory aspects of the product development and marketing programs in the US, EU, and China. We have represented clients in this area for more than 25 years, and over that time our practitioners have gained a reputation for constructive engagement with the relevant industry bodies and regulators across the globe, including the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA), the US Department of Agriculture (USDA), the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), the Federal Trade Commission (FTC), the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA), the Directorate General for Health and Food Safety at the European Commission (EC), EU Member State authorities, the European Chemicals Agency (ECHA), and China Food and Drug Administration.

We advise with regulatory compliance in:

Noteworthy

Chambers Europe, Band 1, Regulatory: Environment, Europe-wide (2014-2025)
Chambers Europe, Band 1, Regulatory: Agro/Food, Europe-wide (2017-2025)
Legal 500 EMEA, EU Regulatory: Chemicals, Belgium (2013-2019)
Legal 500 EMEA, EU Regulatory: Food, Belgium (2012-2019)
Legal 500 EMEA, Tier 1, EU Regulatory: Environment, Belgium (2013-2016)

Professionals

Joan Baughan

Joan Baughan is chair of Steptoe's Global Chemical, Environmental and Life Sciences practice group and heads up Steptoe's Global Food Contact practice. She has been practicing food and drug law,...

Partner

Food Safety & Life Sciences, Food and Feed Safety, Compliance, and Contact Materials, Life Sciences, Consumer Law and Litigation

Washington, DC
+1 202 429 6417

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Jennifer Bonanno

Jennifer Bonanno advises clients on US and global regulatory compliance matters involving food-contact materials, processing aids for use with food and alcoholic beverages, medical devices, and drugs...

Of Counsel

Food Safety & Life Sciences, Food and Feed Safety, Compliance, and Contact Materials, Life Sciences, Chemicals & Environment

Washington, DC
+1 202 429 6440

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Ruxandra Cana

Ruxandra advises and defends clients in matters related to EU regulatory law and litigation, with a strong emphasis on product, environmental, and sustainability regulations, and increasingly, climate...

Partner

Chemicals & Environment, Food Safety & Life Sciences, Nanotechnology, Chemicals

Brussels
+32 2 626 0571

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Kimberly Cassidy

Dr. Kimberly Cassidy is one of Steptoe’s in-house scientists, bringing over 23 years of professional experience. Kim offers comprehensive advice on a wide range of subjects, with a particular emphasis...

Specialist

Food Safety & Life Sciences, Food Contact & Food Regulation, Food Contact Materials, Chemicals

Washington, DC
+1 202 429 1364

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Jessica Cooper

Dr. Jessica Cooper is one of Steptoe's distinguished in-house scientists, where she advises clients on a wide range of chemical and scientific topics, with a focus on food contact substances, food...

Chemistry Specialist

Food Safety & Life Sciences, Chemicals, Nanotechnology, Food and Feed Safety, Compliance, and Contact Materials

Washington, DC
+1 202 429 8139

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Joseph Dages

Joe is a lawyer serving companies in the food-contact material, chemical, food, dietary supplement, cosmetic, and drug industries. He counsels these companies on compliance with the pervasive...

Partner

Food Safety & Life Sciences, Food and Feed Safety, Compliance, and Contact Materials, Life Sciences, Chemicals & Environment

Washington, DC
+1 202 429 6263

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Tom Gillett

Tom Gillett advises clients on environmental and product law, with a focus on chemicals regulation (REACH, CLP, biocides, food contact), product safety and standards (CE/UKCA marking, RoHS, WEEE),...

Associate, Steptoe International (UK) LLP

Chemicals, Consumer Products Regulations, Environmental Impacts & Permitting, US Pesticide Regulation

London
+44 20 7367 8065

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Audrey (Ying) Huang

Ying Huang is the managing partner of Steptoe's Beijing office. She joined Steptoe in 2003 and spent eight years at the firm's headquarters in Washington, DC. Since Steptoe established its Beijing...

Partner

World Bank/IFI Investigations, Export Controls, Economic Sanctions, Government Affairs & Public Policy

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Patricia Kinne

Patricia Kinne brings more than 20 years of professional experience in managing and leading food contact compliance, chemical registration, and maintaining regulatory compliance. Patricia has a...

Specialist

Food Safety & Life Sciences, Chemicals & Environment, Food and Feed Safety, Compliance, and Contact Materials, Chemicals

Washington, DC
+1 202 429 1355

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Eléonore Mullier

Eléonore Mullier specializes in EU regulatory law and litigation. She advises clients who, whether based in the EU or not, come into contact with EU regulations affecting the placing on the EU market...

Partner

Chemicals & Environment, Food Safety & Life Sciences, Nanotechnology, Chemicals

Brussels
+32 2 626 0563

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News & Publications

Media Mentions

February 26, 2026

California Consumer Chemicals Law Blog

January 29, 2026

By: Carol R. Brophy, Dina Adham, Jack Wallan

Media Mentions

October 28, 2025

Publications

Food Safety Magazine

October 3, 2025

By: Joseph Dages, Ryan P. Poscablo, Anthony J. Anscombe, Emma Howard

Media Mentions

September 16, 2025

Client Alerts

April 22, 2025

By: Patrick F. Linehan, Nicholas P. Silverman, Surya Kundu, Sara Morse

Media Mentions

April 2, 2025

Publications

April 2, 2025

By: Darren Abrahams, Tom Gillett, Elodie Brière

Press Releases

March 20, 2025

Client Alerts

January 16, 2025

By: Darren Abrahams, Ruxandra Cana, Anne-Gabrielle Haie, Leigh Mallon, Alexandra Melia, Eléonore Mullier, Zoe Osborne, Ronan Scanlan, Guy Soussan, Charles Whiddington, Tom Gillett, Algirdas Semeta, Maria Salomé Bustos Mesa
Martina Scassini

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Events

Webinars

November 19, 2025

Speakers: Austin Kreitz, Sarah Owen, Daniel C. Rubenstein, Craig Smyser, Alex Wolf

Seminars & Events

October 16, 2025

Seminars & Events

May 1, 2025

Webinars

March 18, 2025

Speakers: Joan Baughan, Joseph Dages, Daniel C. Rubenstein

Seminars & Events

May 9, 2024

Speakers: Joan Baughan, Eric Berman, Daniel Blynn, Ruxandra Cana, Christopher R. Fredrich, Surya Kundu, Stephen J. Newman, Jeff Potts, Jennifer Quinn-Barabanov, Daniel C. Rubenstein, Julia B. Strickland

Webinars

April 4, 2024

Speakers: Joseph Dages, Daniel C. Rubenstein

Seminars & Events

March 3, 2020

Speakers: Ruxandra Cana, Darren Abrahams

Sheraton Frankfurt Airport Hotel and Conference Center
Hugo-Eckner-Ring 15
Frankfurt, Germany

Webinars

Part II: Impact of the Circular Economy on Recycling of Food Contact Materials and Renewable Products

June 6, 2019

Speaker: Joan Baughan

Seminars & Events

March 5, 2019

Hilton Hotel
Georg-Glock-Straße 20, 40474
Düsseldorf, Germany

Webinars

Part I: Introduction to the Circular Economy Strategy and Its Impact on the Global Market

March 4, 2019

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Resources

February 15, 2017

Resources

February 15, 2017

Resources

February 15, 2017

Resources

February 15, 2017

Resources

April 28, 2016

Resources

January 29, 2016

Resources

December 29, 2015

Resources

October 23, 2015

Resources

September 25, 2015

Resources

September 11, 2015

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StepLadder Series

Part 18 of our StepLadder Series about Food Packaging Regulation

November 12, 2025

By: Daniel C. Rubenstein

StepLadder Series

Part 17 of our StepLadder Series about Food Packaging Regulation

October 24, 2025

By: Jennifer Bonanno

StepLadder Series

Part 16 in our StepLadder Series about Food Packaging Regulation

June 23, 2025

By: Daniel C. Rubenstein

StepLadder Series

Part 15 of our StepLadder Series about Food Packaging Regulation

July 10, 2024

By: Daniel C. Rubenstein

StepLadder Series

Part 14 of our StepLadder Series about Food Packaging Regulation

February 13, 2024

By: Daniel C. Rubenstein

StepLadder Series

Part 13 of our StepLadder Series about Food Packaging Regulation

February 2, 2024

By: Daniel C. Rubenstein

StepLadder Series

Part 12 of our StepLadder Series about Food Packaging Regulation

November 20, 2023

By: Patricia Kinne, Daniel C. Rubenstein

StepLadder Series

Part 11 of our StepLadder Series about Food Packaging Regulation

October 30, 2023

By: Daniel C. Rubenstein

StepLadder Series

Part 10 in our StepLadder Series about Food Packaging Regulation

October 16, 2023

By: Daniel C. Rubenstein

StepLadder Series

Part Nine in our StepLadder Series about Food Packaging Regulation

September 27, 2023

By: Daniel C. Rubenstein

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Food Safety & Life Sciences

Noteworthy

Professionals

News & Publications

Events

Resources

StepLadder Series

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