FDA Cracks Down on Food Health Claims
3/5/2010 12:00 AM

The FDA has sent warning letters to 17 food companies over their use of health claims. In an unusually sweeping move, the agency warned the companies are making misleading or false claims on their packaging and that they are in breach of the law. The letters state the companies have 15 days from February 22nd to detail corrective actions or risk facing further action, including products seizure.

  • Dreyer's Grand Ice Cream - Nestle Drumstick Classic Vanilla Fudge and Dreyers Dibs Bite Sized Ice Cream Snacks Vanilla Ice Cream with Nestle Crunch Coating. Trans fat labeling violations.
  • Gorton's Inc - Gorton's Fish Fillets. Trans fat labeling violation.
  • Schwan's Consumer Brands - Mrs. Smith's Coconut Pie Filling. Trans fat labeling violation.
  • Spectrum Organic Products, Inc - Organic All Vegetable Shortening. Cholesterol free, less saturated fat, and trans fat label violations.
  • Beech-Nut - Beechnut DHA Plus line of Products, Beechnut Whole Grain Oatmeal with mixed fruit. Multiple violations for sodium, sugar, vitamin and mineral claims not permissible with products intended for infants and children under age 2.
  • PBM Products - Parents' Choice Little Puffs Plus Calcium Blueberry Naturally Flavored, Parent's Choice Little Puffs Made with Whole Grains Peach-Mango Naturally Flavored. Nutrient content claims not allowed in products for infants and children under age 2.
  • Nestle - Juicy Juice Brain Development Fruit Juice Beverage (Apple), Juicy Juice All-Natural 100% Juice Orange Tangerine and Juicy Juice All-Natural 100% Juice Grape. No sugar added claim is not allowed in products for infants and children under age 2. Also label implies 100% grape or orange-tangerine juice when, in fact, neither is the predominant juice in the products.
  • Nestle Nutrition - Gerber's 2nd Foods Carrots, Gerber Graduates Puffs - Nutrient content claims not allowed in products for infants and children under age 2.
  • Redco Foods - Salada Naturally Decaffeinated Green Tea - unauthorized health claims and nutrient content claims on website and product.
  • Sunsweet Growers - Antioxidant Blend Dried Fruit Mix - sue of unauthorized antioxidant claim.
  • Fleminger, Inc. - TeaForHealth Green Tea products Dr. Lee's TeaForHealth 710EGCG in a bottle Green Tea, 12Tea For Health 710EGCG Ready-To-Drink Natural Brewed Green Tea. Promotion of products for treatment of medical conditions so that products are treated as unapproved new drugs. Also unauthorized health and nutrient content claims.
  • POM Wonderful - POM Wonderful 100% Pomegranate Juice. Promotion of products for treatment of medical conditions so that products are treated as unapproved new drugs.
  • Ken's Foods, Inc. - Ken's Healthy Options Salad Dressings. "Healthy" claim does not meet regulation criteria.
  • Pompeian, Inc. - Pompeian Imported Extra Light Olive Oil. Unauthorized nutrient content claims.
  • Diamond Foods, Inc. - Diamond of California Shelled Walnuts. Promotion of products for treatment of medical conditions so that products are treated as unapproved new drugs.
  • First Juice, Inc. - Organic Fruit and Veggie Juice Beverage products, Purple carrot products. Nutrient content claims not allowed in products for infants and children under age 2.
  • Want Want Foods - Baby Mum-Mum Original Selected Superior Rice Rusks. Nutrient content claims not allowed in products for infants and children under age 2.

Diamond Foods was contacted by the FDA because it had made unauthorized claims on its walnut products of the treatment, prevention or cure of heart disease, arthritis and cancer. The company will be changing its labels and website. POM Wonderful, on the other hand, has said it intends to challenge the FDA's letter which says claims of treatment, prevention and cure of hypertension, diabetes and cancer can only be made by drugs. POM Wonderful released a statement saying, "All statements made in connection with POM products are true and supported by unprecedented scientific research. Once the FDA reviews and better understands the substantial science, we are confident that the agency will agree with our position."
 

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Source: "FDA Warns 17 Companies of Misleading Claims on Labels", Lyndsey Layton, Washington Post, March 4, 2010

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