I was just reading about a survey done by a U.K. group called the Food Commission. The group looked at several products that were fruit flavored (they actually concentrated on strawberry flavored foods) to see what the actual fruit content was. Well, it wasn't so great. Only about 40% of the products had any fruit in them at all, and those that did only had minimal amounts.The Food Commission is upset. They say that the products which have no fruit but are flavored and have that fruit pictured all over the packaging are misleading consumers, at the very least. But in this day and age, with all the studies that have been done and all the information available, can anyone really claim to not know what they're eating? Maybe companies can be misleading on packaging, but they can't outright lie on the label information (though they do find tricky ways around some information).
I just assume that big corporations are lying to me. I assume that anything in a box or other packaging has very little nutrition, especially real fruit. If a food says it's fruit flavored and has that picture on the front, you still need to read the ingredient label to know what you're really eating. I feel like people should take charge of their own consumption. Read the label. Then if you still eat it, at least you know what you're getting.
May is National BBQ Month and National Hamburger Month
Cupcakes, not for dessert (unless beef is your idea of a treat)
Because eating French Fries in the car is so tough
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
2-25-2008 @ 4:41PM
ABT said...
40% is higher than I'd have thought. Why do people commission studies like this and why is money wasted on such studies? These are rhetorical questions.
"They say that the products which have no fruit but are flavored and have that fruit pictured all over the packaging are misleading consumers, at the very least." - Ya think? (Clarification: Comment isn't aimed at Shayna.)
Often when I see TV commercials claiming "[number]% real fruit!" aimed at kids and parents I wonder what the rest is made from. A drink that's 5% real fruit juice? Come on! Parents, why are you giving your kids that crap?? Ever look at the ingredients of Sunny Delight? I once did and saw shellac. A quick Google search lists the following ingredients:
"Water, High Fructose, Corn Syrup and 2% or Less of Each of the Following: Concentrated Juices (Orange, Tangerine, Apple, Lime, Grapefruit). Citric Acid, Ascorbic Acid (Vitamin C), Beta-Carotene, Thiamin Hydrochloride (Vitamin B1), Natural Flavors, Food Starch-Modified, Canola Oil, Cellulose Gum, Xanthan Gum, Sodium Hexametaphosphate, Sodium Benzoate To Protect Flavor, Yellow #5, Yellow #6"
Wikipedia says "The new SunnyD claims to contain 5% fruit juice made up of 2% or less of a number of concentrated juices".
I cannot begin to comprehend how this makes it onto shelves.
Rant over. Now that I've made it I've decided to blog it myself.
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