Food Babe: Calling food “natural” can fool consumers

all natural label
Image via Food Matters.

A litany of class-action lawsuits have been waged against products marketed as “natural” that contain G.M.O.’s — including Goldfish crackers, Naked Juice and Kashi Cereal — but as the F.D.A. does not designate G.M.O.’s as “unnatural,” the best we can hope for is change from public pressure and the occasional settlement.

But even the advisory definition of “natural” is not enforceable. Earlier this year, Kraft defended the use of the world “natural” on different varieties of its Crystal Light product that contain artificial sweeteners, artificial colors (some made from petroleum products), and synthetic ingredients. They can call their product “natural” because there is no enforceable law against it.

We’ve known since the time of Upton Sinclair that the food industry is not capable of regulating itself. We need the government to step in, define the word “natural” and enforce honest standards on behalf of consumers.

Read full, original story: The Word ‘Natural,’ Like Our Food, Has Become Polluted

 

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