Are Food Labels Misleading, Deceptive, or Just Confusing?

Reduced salt is not the same as low salt. "Light (lite)/" or "natural" may be interpreted differently by consumers looking for different benefits. Are manufacturers deliberately trying to confuse us, or, to paraphrase Shakespeare, does the fault lie not with the manufacturers but in ourselves? 

Food scientist Dr. Karin Allen (an expert on food labeling) seems to give the food industry the benefit of the doubt when she says this: "The main reason some food labels might be misleading is because consumers don’t understand what the FDA requirements are, not because the companies are using them improperly.  Terms like 'light' (or 'lite'), 'reduced,' 'low,' 'good source of,' 'high in,' and 'healthy' are all highly regulated by the FDA, which has specific requirements for  these terms and how they can be used for each nutrient (e.g. calories, fat, saturated fat, sodium). The FDA issues warning letters and requires label changes on products that use these terms inappropriately."

In recent months, newsletters and magazines that deal with health and foods have been publishing articles about confusing food labels and offering the public definitions to clarify and keep shoppers informed.  When the FDA and/or USDA have not defined the term, we'll tell you so.

Shelf Life Advice has also discussed various confusing labels in past articles. A link to one of these articles appears later in the article. More information about labels can be found on this site by putting "labels" into the search box. Now, let's check out some common label claims and find out what they really mean.

"Light/lite": "Light what?" the confused shopper might ask.  "Fat, sugar, salt, calories?  Any or all?" Here's the FDA explanation:   If 50% or more of the calories are from fat, fat must be reduced by at least 50%.  If less than 50% of calories are from fat, fat must be reduced at least 50% or calories reduced at least 1/3. This explains why my Aunt Jemima syrup can be labeled "lite" although a 1/4-cup serving contains 25 grams of sugar (about 6 teaspoons!).  Believe it or not, this amount is 50% less sugar than is in the regular syrup.  Don't confuse "lite" with "low." Still, Aunt Jemima "lite" syrup also contains 50% fewer calories than this brand's regular syrup (and 50% less than real maple syrup).

"Fresh": The government says this term is acceptable if the food was not frozen or preserved.  However, there is no official definition of the word or limitation of its use when it appears in a phrase such as "freshly baked."  Does "fresh" mean that it was baked yesterday or last week?  Who knows?  For more information on "fresh," go to "Fresh," "Natural," "Processed..."

"Natural": Dr. Allen's comments: "'Natural' is a term that is regulated by the USDA, so food producers whose products are within its jurisdiction (basically anything containing 3% or more meat) must comply with those regulations to use that term. The FDA doesn’t have such specific regulations for 'natural,' and it is unlikely that they will anytime in the near future. FDA's only requirements for the use of the term are that the food be 'minimally processed, contain no chemical preservatives, and contain no artificial colors or flavors.  That leaves a lot of wiggle room for manufacturers. Some may take full advantage of that while others are more conscientious. Food manufacturers are moving away from 'natural' claims because of lawsuits related to the term.  It is most likely that the industry will start self-regulating its use in response to consumer demand long before the FDA defines a specific set of rules for 'natural'."

For more information about what "natural" means and doesn't mean, go to "More Tips on Reading Food Labels" and the link given in the "fresh" section.

"Made with": "How much?" the alert consumer asks.  It might be a tiny amount.  Example: Since blueberries have been widely touted as a superfood, their presence may be highlighted even if only 1 blueberry (cut in half or quarters) can be found in each muffin.

"Heart healthy" or "no cholesterol": Don't be tricked into purchasing a particular brand by this type of wording on a label. Some foods have no cholesterol no matter what brand you buy.  This is the case for vegetable oils and most cereals. Cholesterol comes from animal fats, not plants or processed food made entirely from plants. Foods that naturally contain no cholesterol are subject to special wording to make this claim. The label must make it clear that any brand of that food wouldn’t contain cholesterol, not just their product. To use the term “healthy” or even just show a heart symbol on the package, foods have to meet a very specific set of criteria, Dr. Allen says. 

"Excellent source of":  The FDA says this label can be on products only if they contain 20% or more of the Daily Value (DV) of the particular nutrient it's tied to.  "That's great, says Consumer Reports on Health, "but a protein-rich yogurt [which sounds very healthful] can still be high in calories, fat, and sugar."

"Multigrain": This term is not regulated whatsoever.  The only requirement the FDA puts on it is this: if it is called “multigrain," there must be multiple grains present in the food even if the food is made up primarily of one single grain source.

The grains could be refined, meaning their nutritious bran and germ have been removed. Furthermore, Consumer Reports on Health points this out: "A package with a "multigrain" label may contain a mixture of refined and whole grains. The publication suggests that consumers look for these labels: "whole grain" or "100% whole grain" to get a healthier product.

"Reduced sodium": To use this label, the food must have 25% less sodium than its regular version.  But that could still be a lot of sodium. If you're trying to cut down on salt, look for a label that says "low sodium."  

"Gluten-free": Finally, this label means something, though it shouldn't be taken literally. FDA rules require that products with this label contain fewer than 20 parts per million of gluten, an amount that most people with celiac disease can tolerate, says the FDA.

Label claims on nutrition "high energy" drinks: In an article cleverly entitled "No great shakes," The University of California Berkeley Wellness Letter expresses a great lack of enthusiasm for these drinks and their labels.  First it says this: "They usually contain just milk, protein, water, sugars, vegetable oil, thickeners, and flavoring agents, plus added vitamins and minerals."  Now for the labels the article discusses:

"ENERGY DRINK": This simply means calories--usually 250-375, which is not enough for a meal but perhaps too much for a snack.  Furthermore, 25-50% of the calories come from various sugars.

"HIGH PROTEIN": The 10-20 grams of protein can be compared to 8 grams in a cup of milk or 10 grams in the same amount of plain yogurt.  In other words, you could easily get that much protein from other sources. Moreover, the article says, "Most Americans get more than enough protein. And protein by itself won't build muscle."

"COMPLETE NUTRITION": The product usually contains 15-20% of most vitamins and minerals. However, says the Berkeley article, "It contains few, if any, of  the other potentially beneficial substances in foods, such as the carotenoids in fruits and vegetables.  In addition, most brands contain no fiber."  In other words, these drinks are not a good substitute for solid food, at least not for most or all of a person's meals.

To pursue the meanings of other common claims used on food labels, go the FDA link in the sources listed below.

Final points:

• Don't be too quick to buy a product because its label tells you that it is lower in salt, sugar, calories, OR cholesterol.  It may be lower in one of these, but, to maintain good taste, the manufacturer may have upped the amount of another ingredient you don't want more of. 
• Advice from Dr. Allen: "Ultimately, it is up to the consumer to use good judgment, read the ingredient statement, and be realistic about what they’re purchasing.  Also, if you are considering buying a product based on the claims made on the label, compare its nutritional content and ingredient statement to a similar (and less expensive) product first.  You might find that the differences are too small to justify the increased price."

Source(s):

Karin E. Allen, Ph.D., Utah State University, Dept. of Nutrition, Dietetics, and Food Sciences

fda.gov "Definitions of Nutrient Content Claims" (January 2013)

http://www.fda.gov/food/guidanceregulation/guidancedocumentsregulatoryinformation/labelingnutrition/ucm064911.htm#main

Tufts University Health and Nutrition Letter, "Newsbites," October 2014.

Consumer Reports on Health, "Food-label claims that can fool you," September 2014.

Consumer Reports on Health, Grab the Healthiest Breakfast," October 2014.

University of California, Berkeley Wellness Letter "no great shakes," October 2014.