"food labeling" news and stories

• The woes of food labeling: Where does the food come from? How specific should a label be? Can it say "Made in Canada" if it includes foreign ingredients? The discussion continues.
  
• The plusses and minuses of in-town dining in the Okanagan Valley -- Fresco, Bibo, and Amante.
• Sheep, milk, and New Brunswick bring us Le Sieur de Duplessis cheese.
• Recipe: Snow Crab and Asparagus in Tomato Gelée.

Trans-fats, those that have no nutritional value, should be listed on food labels rather than be 'hidden' says an article in the British Medical Journal. A listing should reduce consumption and thus reduce coronary heart disease.

Trans-fats occur naturally in small amounts in dairy products and meat, but are also formed by a process called hydrogenation, which is used to extend the shelf-life of processed food. They thus appear in margarines, biscuits, cakes and fast foods. Recent US research has stated that just a 2% increase in the energy intake from trans fats can be linked to a 23% rise in the occurrence of coronary heart disease.

The British researchers also want saturated fats and cholesterol levels listed on food products which will enable consumers to make healthier food choices.

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The European Union has taken another step towards an internationally standardized system of food labeling, prompted by concern over obesity. The guidelines are voluntary right now, and companies including Coca-Cola and Nestle, as well as 86 other groups and companies, have agreed to comply with the regulations. New packaging will have "calorie information clearly on the front of packaging, with a more detailed list of nutrients, including energy, protein, carbohydrate, fat and salt, on the back. "

The companies that have chosen not to comply are likely those who do not wish to incur the expense of new packaging or are worried about a loss of sales. Even though, in one instance, sales shifted during a labeling change, consumers generally are unaffected by the nutritional information when they want to purchase a product.

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On its way to the Senate, after getting approved by the house, is a bill that would require all states to have uniform food labeling laws. In addition to the standard information that is nationally regulated, like calories, fat and trans-fats, states can currently pass laws to require food produced in their state to have additional information on the packaging. Uncommon allergens, potentially toxic substances and various food additives are commonly required to be revealed in this way.

Food producers and grocers support the bill because they would have a standard set of expectations to meet, but some consumers are unhappy that some information currently on their state's food labels will be removed. Opponents of the bill say that it will affect as many as 200 state laws across the country. While an amendment has already been added to keep mercury warnings in place, there are 16 states that have shellfish regulations and Arkansas and Illinois have egg-safety laws, none of which would still be required. On the surface, it seems to be a certainty that any regulations stripped from the states will be reinstated at a later time, but going through the federal process is likely to take longer and face more opposition from large lobbies than with in-state legislation. Some warnings may not make it back onto labels for a number of years, if ever, even though consumers in some states will find themselves with new warnings on their packaging.

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According to today's Wall Street Journal, some "artificial colors" in food aren't so artificial. The vivid orange and red colorings made from crushed, dried beetles, such as "carmine " and "cochineal", do not have to be revealed on ingredient labels under current FDA regulations. Colorings from crushed beetles are used in foods such as Good & Plenty candy, Tropicana Orange Strawberry Juice and Dannon Fruit on the Bottom Boysenberry yogurt.

After facing pressure from consumer groups, the Food and Drug Administration is soon expected to publish a new food labeling proposal for public review. New guidelines would require companies to disclose insect-derived colorings. Vegetarian and kosher groups were among the leaders of the movement to change labeling guidelines. Some companies currently list colors like "carmine" along with their ingredients, though many consumers do not know precisely what it is. Opponents of the labeling change argue that when other animal products are listed, their source is not revealed, saying "'Butter' doesn't say 'from cow.'"