Excerpt:
Criminal charges for mislabeling food are rare with the United States Department of Agriculture filing criminal actions against only 10 people or companies in the past two years.
Midamar Corporation, a Cedar Rapids-based international food supplier, says it doesn't know why federal agents searched the company Oct. 17, but believes it may be based on allegations Midamar labeled meat as being processed according to Islamic law when it had not.
Agents from the USDA and the Internal Revenue Service also seized $454,000 from Midamar's bank account, which is very unusual in an investigation into food mislabeling, said attorneys familiar with federal investigations and food law.