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Where's the maple? McDonald's may have gotten itself in a sticky mess with the Vermont Agency of Agriculture (VAA), who says the company's new Fruit & Maple Oatmeal menu item does not actually contain any maple product. That's a violation of Vermont's stringent maple law, and could mean that McDonald's will have to change ingredients or labeling.
"What we understand, is there is no actual maple in the [McDonald's] product being advertised. Vermont maple law and regulations are very specific for how the term maple is used in advertisements," Kelly Loftus, VAA spokesperson told Slashfood. "It is illegal to use the word maple on a product unless the sweetener is 100 percent pure maple. Artificial maple flavoring should be clearly and conspicuously labeled on the principal panel with the term 'artificial flavor'."
McDonald's Fruit & Maple Oatmeal ingredient list includes whole grain rolled oats, brown sugar, food starch-modified, salt, natural maple flavor with other natural flavor (plant source), barley malt extract, and caramel color.
In a written statement, McDonald's says they are "currently in discussions with the State of Vermont to ensure that we meet any applicable state standards."
Vermont officials told Slashfood they contacted McDonald's on January 3, but as of this morning, had not yet received a reply from the company. According to WCAX, state officials will give McDonald's 60 to 90 days to respond.
This isn't the first time Vermonters have flexed their muscles over the sweet stuff. In September, state officials took Pinnacle Foods to task over their new line of Log Cabin syrup because of the "all natural" labeling. As a result, Pinnacle Foods removed caramel color from its syrup to comply with FDA regulations, but kept the familiar maple syrup packaging and "all natural" labeling.
Vermont is the largest producer of maple syrup in the country.
"Maple is Vermont's signature product. We take the regulations that sustain the purity of the product extremely seriously. When we see something out there that says maple syrup, but really isn't maple syrup according to our regulations here, well that's something that needs to be addressed," says Loftus.
UPDATE (1/24/2011): McDonald's Maple Settlement
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1-11-2011 @5:30AM Trudy said... Go Vermont!!!!! Maple is King here and when you have such a superior sweetener you don't want to see it used to describe just anything. Real maple syrup tastes so much better than that artificial stuff that it isn't even funny.
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1-23-2011 @2:18AM Larysa said... What I am wondering: Is Vermont able to control what happens in the rest of the country, or they are only saying "Hey McDonalds in Vermont, you can't say this IN VERMONT!" ?
1-11-2011 @12:43PM Johnny Knifefight said... I used to be a maple sugar farmer here in vermont. I also like double cheese burgers.
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1-12-2011 @9:43AM mis3hijos said... APACHE is so lame and old fashion... socialist? give me a break!!!
1-12-2011 @9:40AM bree said... Vermont really has nothing better to do, does it?
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11-23-2011 @3:27PM Criss said... Vermont doesn't have anything better to do. Maple is their market. They're protecting their voters, their small businesses, their larger businesses, by protecting the word "Maple"-- plus protecting people who go to Vermont and look forward to real, fresh Maple Syrup while they're there. That's what you do in Vermont, whyever else you're there -- you get food with REAL maple syrup! (I'm in Upstate NY where we also have local maple industry).... Perhaps you've never had real maple syrup? Otherwise you wouldn't know why it's worth protecting.
1-11-2011 @4:51PM karen said... whatever!! I love this oatmeal and it's really good for you!!
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1-25-2011 @6:35PM Madhatter said... Good for you? Thats debatable. It looks like a whole lot of sugar to me. 32 to grams to be exact, which is just about 2 Mc Donald's ice cream cones. Yikes!
1-11-2011 @3:55PM s jennings said... I had the oatmeal last Sat. AM. Took the lid off, and it was water with floating small pieces of fruit and raisins. Horrible to look at. I mixed from bottom and found the oatmeal. Water was not hot enough to blend everything . Very fake!
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1-11-2011 @7:59PM Melissa said... You are so right I was so disappointed. I had to add a pack of my own instant oatmeal so soak up all the water and put it in the microwave because it wasn't hot enough.
1-11-2011 @4:32PM stevie68a said... Real maple syrup is expensive, so you'll never find it in a McDonalds product, only fake stuff.
"I'm hating it".
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1-11-2011 @5:00PM newsy1 said... Good for Vermont. It's great when someone backs the real thing and doesn't stand for anyone, not even giant McDonalds from trying to fake it. I love real maple syrup and will continue to purchase it, especially when I know how hard Vermont strives to control the real thing. http;//newsy1.wordpress.com
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1-11-2011 @5:43PM ShirazN said... Just another evidence of greed. Advertising and marketing might once have been concieved of as a way to inform the public about a product so they would be able to make clear and informed decisions. That idealistic view hasn't been true in a long time and I can only say I am not in the least surprised at this. This is another corporate addition to the unhealthy state of our country and world.
It is truly unfortunate that a government must make laws in an effort to corral the corruption of motivation found when a corporation puts profit ahead of people.
http://tipthecook.net
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3-31-2011 @8:50AM DCFoodie said... Wow, stop cutting and pasting from the 'World Manifesto'. You conspiracy types get worked up over the tiniest things! Vermont is protecting their trademark product like several other industries do the world over. Like Bordeaux and Champagne, and Vidalia Onions. I don't have a problem with it, the more well known American products out there in the world the better for all Americans.
3-31-2011 @3:11PM ratchef79 said... Way to completely misinterpret my post. I was talking about McDonalds, not Vermont. If you bother reading the article you'll see that Vermont is holding McDonalds accountable for its advertising lies, which my post is clearly supporting by talking about how advertising has been perverted -- by McDonalds. I apologize if I was not literal enough, or did not label correctly, I was sincerely hoping that the general audience of readers possessed enough critical reading capability that they would be able to extrapolate the subject under discussion from the context of the post. Please read fully before replying.
1-11-2011 @6:17PM christine said... This is so weird, I had one for the first time today and was saying the same thing. There were no raisins, maple syrup or product in mine. just oatmeal and apple chunks. I understand it's McDonalds, but I at least would like to see the ingredients in the products as advertised. That's why I purchased it in the first place.
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1-11-2011 @7:20PM J said... Wow, the most famous food supplier (can't call it a restaurant) in the world..... lies! Where's your wrist so I can slap it.
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1-11-2011 @8:12PM I Know said... If you're looking for something healthy to eat don't go to McD's. The cream that's added to the oatmeal to make it taste like milk has been added is basically synthetic. The apples and raisins contain sulfites. The hot water melts the cup's coating so you're getting a big dose of whatever chemical is in the container. You'd be better off buying a $2 canister of rolled oats and making your own breakfast.
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1-12-2011 @10:28AM Ozark Homesteader said... I wish the FDA would go after McDonald's for false advertising with "maple," and I'd like for them to do the same with KFC for their "honey" packets (HFCS) and every other fast food place that passes off HFCS as maple and honey. It's fraud.
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1-11-2011 @11:16PM Belinda - Healthy Affordable Weight Loss said... McD's should just stick to what they're good at - fast, fatty, salty food lacking in nutritional value. Everytime they try to go "healthy" it's a big fail.
BTW this oatmeal is a high-glycemic start to your day. Even regular oatmeal and fruit is. Real maple syrup or raw honey in some greek yogurt is delicious and has protein. Throw in some berries and you're good to go.
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