DETROIT – Michigan’s attorney general is taking action against a Detroit marketplace on accusations that it has sold mislabeled products, demonstrated unsafe food production practices and ignored a cease-and-desist order, she said.
Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel said she filed a civil action against Moor Herbs and its operator, The Moorish Science Temple, The Divine and National Movement of North America, Incorporated, No. 13. The civil action was filed on behalf of the Michigan Department of Agriculture and Rural Development.
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Moor Herbs is a Detroit marketplace and wellness business on West 7 Mile Road.
Violations of Food Law
“Evaluation of Moor Herbs’ storefront by MDARD inspectors revealed multiple violations of the state’s Food Law,” Nessel said.
According to the attorney general, Moor Herbs sells food, supplements and bottled water without the required license and registrations. She said the business is selling products that pose a hazard to the public because they’re mislabeled and adulterated.
“Many of Moor Herbs’ products are targeted at vulnerable populations without meeting the necessary standards or are marketed for the diagnosis, cure, mitigation, treatment and prevention of diseases,” Nessel wrote.
As an example, authorities allege Moor Herbs claims its “Tumor Release” product is helpful in dissolving benign and malignant tumors in a natural, noninvasive way.
“Michigan’s Food Law ensures that every food establishment -- regardless of what community it is located in -- meets minimum standards to ensure food safety,” Nessel said.
Previous issues
The complaint says Moor Herbs held a food establishment license from June 2017 to May 2020, but failed to renew that license. The business has registered three water dispensing machines but hasn’t kept those registrations current since 2020-2021, according to the complaint.
In July 2021, MDARD seized products from Moor Herbs. The department issued a cease-and-desist order on Aug. 12, but the business ignored it, Nessel said.
“Moors Herbs continues to violate the laws intended to keep our food safe and wholesome,” MDARD Director Gary McDowell said. “Consumers should be able to shop with confidence that a business has met sanitation and safety requirements and is providing them a safe product.”
Last month, the “Health Beauty Angel Formula” product from Moor Herbs was recalled because “FDA testing determined that the product did not meet specific nutrition and labeling requirements for infant formula, even though it is marketed as such,” the U.S. Food and Drug Administration found.
FDA officials said testing revealed the product contained iron, sodium and potassium levels “well over” the maximum allowed. That could potentially lead to iron overload or electrolyte imbalances, officials said. The product contained no vitamin D, which could contribute to a softening and weakening of bones, the FDA found.
Civil action details
The civil action aims to permanently stop Moor Herbs from:
- Holding, selling or offering food for sale without a license.
- Selling food that was obtained from a source that does not comply with federal, state and local laws.
- Manufacturing, selling, delivering, holding or offering for sale adulterated or misbranded food.
- Manufacturing, selling, delivering, holding or offering for sale any food that has not been made in accordance with the Food Law.
- Offering for sale food that, in violation of the law, includes claims that it is intended for use in the diagnosis, cure, mitigation, treatment or prevention of disease.
Business currently operating online
The Moor Herbs storefront is currently closed, and the website is shut down temporarily. A message on the site’s home page reads, “We are working on something really cool! But in order to do so, we need to shut down the website for a few weeks. We appreciate your patience.”
Nessel said the business continues to post on social media about shipping orders and plans for reopening.