ABC and CBS Call the Food Police for 'Misleading Labels'

Newsbusters ^ | 03/04/10 | Anthony Kang

[198ml]

When the networks get a story involving food, labeling and health, they know just how to cover it: get reaction from their favorite lefty advocacy group, and paint consumers as defenseless patsies. That's what CBS' "Early Show" and ABC's "Good Morning America" did on March 4.

In an alleged violation of the Federal Food Drug, and Cosmetic Act, the FDA has issued its biggest crackdowns in fifteen years, putting seventeen food manufacturers on notice for what they say are misleading product labels for consumers. The food companies have fifteen days to respond to the charges, either challenging the allegations or offering plans to change their labels.

Both GMA and "Early Show" predictably turned to America's self-appointed food police - the Center for Science in the Public Interest (CSPI) - for answers.

[a fool in paradise]

Both GMA and "Early Show" predictably turned to America's self-appointed food police - the Center for Science in the Public Interest (CSPI) - for answers

The people who insist that every thing you could eat is unhealthy

[Drill Thrawl]

Have they railed about the cyanide in peach pits yet? Or the strong acid on the shells of cashew seeds?

[Cboldt]

When will the government crack down on Paula Deen for frequently asserting “butter makes it better” in combination with using overdoses of it, on air?

[cajuncow]

Don’t forget the toxicity of uncooked bamboo shoots.

[Cletus.D.Yokel]

The people who insist that every thing you could eat is unhealthy

Actually, the moonbat-nanny-statist guy (Silverglade) who developed an official looking letterhead on his home computer and began faxing "news releases" from his office/gagrage printed with his opinions.

[swain_forkbeard]

Not such a simple issue, I think. I don’t want food nazis telling me what I can eat. I think consumers should take responsibility for what they consume. Taking responsibility means making informed decisions.

Information about food comes from mom and dad, experience, and food labels. So I don’t like misleading food labels either.

[Le Chien Rouge]

Grandpa said, the more ingredients in the food, the less healthier it is for you.

Grandpa is 91 and still going.

I’ll stand by his wisdom.

[Lokibob]

Want a laugh, read, really read the lables. I love the number of servings, like who is going to eat just 2 oreos? or 30 servings in a pack.

Pam, the spray on fat stuff, the one in my kitchen has 1800 servings in a 12 ounce can. Turns out a serving is 1/3rd of a second squirt. Try squiing anything 1/3rd of a second.

......Bob

[Grammy]

Will the government come and rid my yard of that toxic weed poke sallet? (/s)

[jiggyboy]

They have a point about misleading labels. Most American men can pull “one serving” of potato chips out of the bag in one hand.

[dennisw]

I always read food labels. Ingredients are supposed to be listed from the largest to the smallest. It seems to me these are often not listed in order so as to trick the consumer

[Drill Thrawl]

Ooops we forgot the biggest one of all!

Dihydrogen Monoxide (play D-major chord here)

[ApplegateRanch]

Turns out a serving is 1/3rd of a second squirt.

True. But, if you cook that 12 serving, 6 oz box of Plastigoo Fauxtatoes Allrotten, then a 4 second squirt....

[ltc8k6]

“Ingredients: Potatoes, Sunflower Oil, Salt.”

Lay’s classic potato chips...

[ltc8k6]

[Mase]

I always read food labels. Ingredients are supposed to be listed from the largest to the smallest. It seems to me these are often not listed in order so as to trick the consumer

To trick the consumer? Good grief, what a bunch of hooey. On a product label, the ingredients are listed in order of predominance. If they are not in the proper order then the manufacturer is subject to massive fines and will labor in the future under the FDA microscope. No manufacturer in their right mind wants that. Ingredient labeling is tightly regulated and manufacturers bend over backward to ensure they are correct. As usual, you're wrong.

[dennisw]

Here ya go moron---->>>>>>>

http://74.125.47.132/search?q=cache:AwqHW3ERlbgJ:www.fsis.usda.gov/news/Small_Plant_News_Sep2008/index.asp
+%22Order+of+predominance+in+the+ingredients+statement+is+incorrect%22&cd=2&hl=en&ct=clnk&gl=us

 

 

Take 10 for Labels
By Mary Gioglio
The next time you're preparing a label for a product and are ready to submit it to FSIS for approval, take ten! That's an extra ten minutes to review the 10 most common mistakes made on labels. Compare the contents of your label to the list below to make sure that all of the required information is included. Ten minutes now will save you a great amount of time in the future if you have to resubmit your label because it's been sent back to you unapproved due to errors.

Here is a listing of the 10 most common mistakes made on labels that FSIS has encountered when reviewing label applications.

1. There are problems with ingredient statements:
   • Single ingredients are not listed by common name (e.g., oil declared instead of vegetable oil, soy declared instead of soy flour, MSG declared instead of monosodium glutamate).
   • Component ingredients are not listed by common name (e.g., cheese declared instead of imitation cheese; ham declared instead of ham water added; beef declared instead of seasoned beef and binder product).
   • The order of predominance in the ingredients statement is incorrect.
   • There are ingredients declared in the ingredients statement that are not in the formulation and vice-versa.
   • Multi-ingredient components are missing their sub-listings.
2. The formulation, processing procedure, and/or supporting documentation do not agree with, or validate, the information and/or claims on the label (e.g., a "lemon, thyme, pepper" claim on the label but the formulation does not indicate that the spices contain thyme and pepper).
3. Either the entire label is illegible or portions of the label are illegible.
4. The label is incomplete because all required labeling features are not provided.
5. Product standards are not met.
6. The product name is incorrect (e.g., "BBQ" on the label of a sauce with beef product, yet, standard 9 CFR 319.80 or 319.312 is not met).
7. The product name word size is incorrect. This means that no word in a product name (i.e., a common or usual name, a standardized name, or a descriptive name) should be printed in letters that are less than one-third the size of the largest letter used in any other word of the product name.
8. A geographical claim is used on the label but the product is not actually produced in the claimed location (e.g., "St. Louis Toasted Breaded Beef Ravioli" on labeling of product manufactured in Portland, Oregon).
9. There are problems with nutrition facts:
   • The serving size is incorrect.
   • The servings per container are incorrect.
   • The wrong format is used.
   • There is improper rounding of the values.
10. Undefined nutrient content claims are used (e.g., leaner, low carbohydrates, very low in fat).

[dennisw]

http://www.auri.org/research/General%20Labeling%20Brochure.pdf

[Mase]

You idiot. Like with anything else, mistakes are made when labeling requests are submitted for approval. These mistakes are not done intentionally. The regulatory requirements in this country are a bureaucratic jungle that only a big government conservative like you could love. Navigating through this government maze is a nightmare so not all submissions will be approved. The FSIS rarely misses an error and the cost of correcting the problem and resubmitting a request can be very time consuming and costly.

No one is trying to fool the consumer. That's the kind of nonsense we've come to expect from populists like you. Any company caught intentionally misrepresenting the ingredients in a product will pay a heavy price. No regulatory person wants that stigma on their resume. Take it from someone who spent almost a decade managing regulatory for a global food ingredient company. No amount of Googling is going to change that reality. You should slink away like you normally do and find some other thread where you can post your nonsense.