Topics in the News Again: Apple Juice, Twinkies, and Calorie Counts

By Ethel Tiersky

Jul 19, 2013

Some food topics just keep recycling. Within the past month, the public has heard good news about arsenic in apple juice, waxed ecstatic about the return of the Twinkie, and endured mixed emotions about calorie count postings at Starbucks. Below are the details on each of these news stories.

Apple juice:

It's been almost 2 years since consumer groups, encouraged by Dr. Oz, began urging the FDA to set a legal limit on the amount of arsenic allowed in apple juice. On July 12, the FDA proposed an "action level" of 10 parts per billion on inorganic arsenic. (Organic arsenic is considered generally safe--despite a few types that may be toxic. Anyway, it occurs in only insignificant amount in apple juice.)

The FDA expressed confidence that the apple juice sold in the U.S. is generally safe. Of 94 samples tested by the FDA in 2011, none exceeded the 10 ppb limit proposed now. The limit being proposed is the same as what's currently in place on drinking water. The new proposal faces a 60-day public comment period before it goes into effect. When it does, the new limit will enable the FDA to act more easily if/when any products are found to exceed the limit.

For more information on the history of this issue, see this Shelf Life Advice article: "Apple Juice and Arsenic--Back in the News Again."

What about arsenic in rice? The FDA is still in the process of doing quality checks on some 1,000 rice products. To read about arsenic in rice, see this Shelf Life Advice article: "Arsenic in Rice--Enough to Cause Illness?"

Twinkies:

We're always happy when a shelf life topic gets attention from the news media. You couldn't have missed the announcement that Twinkies are being reborn. In fact, they may be in your neighborhood supermarket by now.

But the almost funny part of the story is that now Twinkies (which already had a reputation of lasting forever) will have a longer shelf life (45 days) than the former ones (26 days). What has the company done to keep the product fresh longer? That's proprietary information; it cannot be revealed.

Of course, one common way to extend shelf life is by freezing a product. Hostess is planning to do some of that. Some stores will receive frozen Twinkies, to which they can add their own use-by dates. The plan is that 10% of Twinkies will be shipped frozen. These will go to stores that requested that type of distribution.

The big day--the Twinkies returned to stores--was July 15, but Walmart somehow got a 3-day head start and announced that the product would be available in all their stores on July 12.

New York Daily News pointed out that the new Twinkie has been "slimmed down by about 15 calories"--to 135 calories for a cake weighing 38.5 grams.

For background on the Twinkie story, see this Shelf Life Advice article: "Twinkie Look-Alikes: Is A Substitute Ever Better?"

Starbucks beverages and bakery items:

The Affordable Health Care Act requires all restaurant chains with more than 20 locations to post calorie counts on their menus by 2014. Starbucks is far ahead of the deadline. It has recently added calorie information in all of its 11,000 locations. Yes, this information was available to customers before then, but only if they looked for it online or in a printed brochure. Now, it is staring them in the face when they make their menu selections. Now, as the website SFGate.com points out, customers will know before they order one that a Mocha Cookie Crumble Frappuccino made with 2% milk and topped with whipped cream contains 580 calories, a number more suitable for an entire dinner than a mid-afternoon pick-me-up beverage.

Starbuck's calorie counts are now listed for both beverages and pastries. Customers may be shocked and depressed by the news. But will it have any effect upon their selections? I eagerly await the research results.

For more information about calorie counts on menus, read these Shelf Life Advice articles:

"Recent Research on Salt, Fast Food, and Calorie Counts"

"Should You Believe the Calorie Counts on Restaurant Menus? Are You Even Noticing Them?"

Source(s):

fda.gov "FDA proposes "action level" for arsenic in apple juice"

http://www.fda.gov/NewsEvents/Newsroom/PressAnnouncements/ucm360466.htm

Chicago Tribune "Apple juice's arsenic targeted" July 13, 2013.

http://articles.chicagotribune.com/2013-07-13/health/ct-met-juice-arsenic-standards-20130713_1_apple-juice-arsenic-levels-10-parts

huffintonpost.com "Twinkies Will Last Longer Than Before When They Hit Shelves Again"

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/07/08/twinkies-shelf-life-longer_n_3562287.html

huffingtonpost.com "Walmart Announces It's Starting to Sell Twinkies 3 Days Early"

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/07/12/twinkies_n_3586425.html