'Natural' claims under fire

September 30, 2010

'Natural' claims under fire

Ben & Jerry's plans to remove the words "all natural" from labels of ice cream and frozen yogurt products that contain alkalized cocoa, corn syrup or partially hydrogenated soybean oil, according to the Center for Science in the Public Interest (CSPI).

Last month CSPI sent a letter to Ben & Jerry's parent company, Unilever, complaining that at least 48 products were improperly labeled.

Ben & Jerry's, which also promotes its use of rBGH-free milk, cage-free eggs and fair trade, told CSPI it was making the change so consumers wouldn’t be confused.

Critics say the term "natural," the most common label claim on new food and beverage products launched last year, is one of the most misleading words on the market.

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has no formal rules about the term; consequently, many products containing high fructose corn syrup (which the industry is lobbying to call “corn sugar”) are labeled as "natural.” Though glucose and fructose occur in nature, the chemical conversion of cornstarch (used to make high fructose corn syrup) should not be considered natural, CSPI wrote in a 158-page report titled "Food Labeling Chaos.”

"Natural" also has a health halo, meaning consumers may think a “natural” product is healthier than it is.

The lemon-lime soda Sierra Mist, for example will now be marketed as "New Sierra Mist Natural" because it "has been stripped of everything unnatural" according to the company. It’s free of preservatives, artificial colors and caffeine (though caffeine is naturally occurring), the company boasts. The new ad campaign calls it “the soda nature would drink if nature drank soda."

Yet Sierra Mist Natural is still a soft drink. It contains 100 calories and 25 grams of sugar per 8-ounce serving. A regular 8-ounce Pepsi contains 100 calories and 28 grams of sugar.

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