(1) When necessary for the enforcement of this act, the director may seize without formal warrant any food found to be sold, held for sale, or exposed for sale in violation of this act or rules promulgated under this act.
  (2) If the director finds or has probable cause to believe that any food is adulterated or so misbranded as to be dangerous to public health or fraudulent, within the meaning of this act, he or she shall affix to the food a tag or other appropriate marking giving notice that the food is, or is suspected of being, adulterated or misbranded and has been seized or embargoed. A person shall not remove or dispose of the food tagged or marked as embargoed or seized, by sale or otherwise, until permission for removal or disposal is given by the director or a court of competent jurisdiction.

Terms Used In Michigan Laws 289.2105

  • Adulterated: means food to which any of the following apply:
  (i) It bears or contains any poisonous or deleterious substance that may render it injurious to health unless the substance is not an added substance and the quantity of that substance in the food does not ordinarily render it injurious to health. See Michigan Laws 289.1105
  • Complaint: A written statement by the plaintiff stating the wrongs allegedly committed by the defendant.
  • Director: means the director of the department or his or her designee. See Michigan Laws 289.1107
  • Food: means articles used for food or drink for humans or other animals, chewing gum, and articles used for components of any such article. See Michigan Laws 289.1107
  • Jurisdiction: (1) The legal authority of a court to hear and decide a case. Concurrent jurisdiction exists when two courts have simultaneous responsibility for the same case. (2) The geographic area over which the court has authority to decide cases.
  • Labeling: means all labels and other written, printed, or graphic matter upon an article, any of its containers or wrappers, or accompanying the article. See Michigan Laws 289.1109
  • Misbranded: means food to which any of the following apply:
  •   (i) Its labeling is false or misleading in any particular. See Michigan Laws 289.1109
  • Person: means an individual, sole proprietorship, partnership, corporation, association, or other legal entity. See Michigan Laws 289.1109
  • Probable cause: A reasonable ground for belief that the offender violated a specific law.
  • Rules: means administrative rules promulgated under this act pursuant to the administrative procedures act of 1969, 1969 PA 306, MCL 24. See Michigan Laws 289.1111
  •   (3) If food seized or embargoed under subsection (1) or (2) is determined by the director to be adulterated or misbranded, he or she shall cause a petition to be filed in circuit court in whose jurisdiction the food is seized or embargoed for a complaint for condemnation of the food. Seized or embargoed food shall be destroyed at the expense of the claimant of the food, under the supervision of the director, and the court may order the payment of the costs and fees and storage and other proper expenses by the claimant of the food or his or her agents. However, if the court finds that adulteration or misbranding can be corrected by proper labeling or processing of the food, after entry of the order; payment of the costs, fees, and expenses; and execution of a good and sufficient bond conditioned that the food shall be so labeled or processed, the court may direct the food to be delivered to the claimant for labeling or processing under the supervision of the director. The claimant shall pay the expense of the supervision. The food shall be returned to the claimant of the food on the representation to the court by the director that the food is no longer in violation of this act and that the expenses of supervision have been paid. If the director determines that the food so seized or embargoed is not adulterated or misbranded, he or she shall remove the tag or other marking.