Most Americans Believe GMO Foods are Unsafe

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Many Americans are becoming more and more aware of the problem we are faced with, and it’s one that hits us where it hurts. The debate over the safety of genetically modified foods has put state lawmakers who favor requiring labeling of these products at odds with counterparts in Congress who oppose it. The GMO lobby is pushing congress around to keep their products from facing the scrutiny that this recent Pew Research highlights in detail.

Who-Spends-the-Most-Money-Lobbying-GMOs-2012-600The House last month passed a bill that would nullify any state laws that require labeling, dealing a blow to state lawmakers and advocates who support such a move

Vermont Connecticut and Maine passed legislation this year making GM food labeling mandatory; dozens of other states are exploring similar bills on the issue.

 

FT_15.08.10.GMODemographicsPew Research: Most Americans Believe GM Foods are Unsafe

As this issue plays out on Capitol Hill, polls show that a majority of Americans support labeling genetically modified foods, and half check for GM food labels while shopping. “More than half (57%) of U.S. adults believe that GM foods are generally unsafe to eat, while (37%) say these foods are safe”, “Women are more likely than men to view GM foods as unsafe (65% vs. 49%).” Opinions also vary by race and ethnicity; blacks and Hispanics are more likely than whites to say that genetically modified foods are generally unsafe to eat according to a Pew Research Center survey

The Pew Research survey also found differences in vie
ws based on education levels and science knowledge. Those with lower levels of educational attainment or science knowledge are more inclined to view GM foods as unsafe.

NutriFusion® agree with the majority of American that genetically modified foods are unsafe. We have been committed to the non-GMO movement since we started. Our concentrated, fruit and vegetable powders always come from non-GMO produce. We believe in the transparency and honesty that health conscious consumers expect in 2015.

 

 

Millennials Leading an $18 Billion Food Revolution

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Our post focuses on a recent article from Fortune about a panel discussion, The New Food Revolution, at the Most Powerful Women Summit. The panel included Julie Smolyansky, Denise Morrison, and Tracy Massey.

 

Trends Facing the Food Industry

Julie Smolyansky, CEO of Lifeway Foods, believes the dramatic change in food is being driven by millennials and their desire for transparency. Our smart phones are enabling smarter choices at the point of purchase because of the unlimited access to information about the food we buy.

Denise Morrison, CEO of Campbell Soup Co., said,”I believe consumers have a right to know what’s in their food, how it’s made, and where it’s grown,” she said. “As a company, we’re working on it, and we have a lot more work to do.” Food companies need to lead the education effort to consumers about their food to gain the trust of millennials.

Tracy Massey, president of Mars Chocolate North America said,“Low-fat was big a few years ago, and that’s gone away now.” “We need to make sure we label our products and be very transparent about what’s in them. You can’t dictate what people eat, but you can make sure they’re very clear on what they’re putting into their bodies.”

 

 

What is the Next Big Thing in Food?

The panel strongly agreed that that health is no longer about fat and calories. It’s more about supplementing your diet with simple, nutritious foods. NutriFusion® was created to help many of these large brands develop more nutrition in their existing products. Our ingredients are created from whole, non-GMO, ogranic produce. We use our proprietary technology to stabilize the vitamins and minerals in fruits and vegetables, so that we can supercharge many of the processed foods that we already love. We believe our products are the next big thing in food and we are excited to see more and more brands create nutritious, healthy snacks.

For the Full Article: http://fortune.com/2015/10/13/food-revolution-millennials/

 

KIND Bars in Trouble with “Healthy” Snacks

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Earlier this year in April, KIND bars was asked by the FDA to make changes to its labeling of four products. The 4 bars  in violation of the “healthy” labeling rules include: almond and apricot; almond and coconut; peanut butter and dark chocolate + protein; and dark chocolate cherry cashew + antioxidants. We read a few articles from Food Business News and Quartz on the issue and we will be sharing some of the key information in our post.

The FDA

“According to the F.D.A., a product only may feature the term “healthy” as an implied nutrient content claim on the label if, among other things, it is “low saturated fat” as defined in the federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act (i.e., the food has a saturated fat content of 1 gram or less per reference amount customarily consumed (RACC) and no more than 15% of the calories are from saturated fat).

In its review, the F.D.A. found that Kind’s almond and apricot bar and peanut butter dark chocolate + protein bar both contained 3.5 grams of saturated fat per serving, while its almond and coconut bar contained 5 grams of saturated fat and its dark chocolate cherry cashew + antioxidant bar contained 2.5 grams.”

The FDA also indicated in their letter that Kind must remove labels such as “anti-oxidant rich,” “good source of fiber,” and “no trans fats” from the four products. Using an ingredient like NutriFusion® would allow KIND to make claims like “anti-oxidant rich” because our products are made from all natural fruits and vegetables.

KIND’s Response

“The F.D.A. is requesting adjustments to the labeling language on four of our bars and our web site, and we’re workinwebsite bring all items to compliance,” the company said. “Please know that there are no quality or safety issues relating to our snack foods or their ingredients. Kind snacks remain a safe and nutritious choice for our fans and their families.”

In working to come into compliance with the F.D.A.’s labeling rules, Kind pointed out that nuts are partly to blame for the violations.

“Nuts, key ingredients in many of our snacks and one of the things that make fans love our bars, contain nutritious fats that exceed the amount allowed under the F.D.A.’s standard,” the company said. “This is similar to other foods that do not meet the standard for use of the term healthy, but are generally considered to be good for you like avocados, salmon and eggs.”

Kind said it will keep its recipes the same even as it makes updates to its packaging and web site.

Lawyers are Filing Lawsuits for Consumers

Quartz covered the story from the consumer’s perspective and it looks like the FDA letter is going to lead to a few lawsuits. Of course consumers are not pressing the issue, but lawyers are on their behalf.

“In California, three separate class action suits have been filed against the company, all within 10 days of the letter’s publication, all making the same basic argument: KIND’s misleading marketing deceives consumers into buying food that isn’t healthy, at least by FDA standards. Consumers would receive the value of their KIND purchases back if the lawsuits were ever to prevail.”

Why Does This Matter?

KIND is relatively small in the energy and nutrition category and a young player in the industry. Their products are not necessarily bad for you. They just do not meet the FDA standards for saturated fats. Saturated fats are still going through on-going research, so science is not completely settled. This was simply a slap on the wrist by the FDA, but it has caused a lot of harm for KIND. They now have to do extensive work in new packaging and website design as well as manage consumer complaints. All of this could have been avoided by using the right ingredients and the approved claims by the FDA.