It may have started with the Millenials, but according to Phil Lempert The Supermarket Guru, the Clean Label movement has gone mainstream: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j047TP3gBxU However, consumers' desire for information regarding the food they eat extends beyond reading labels. A recent study conducted by Harris Poll and commissioned by Digimarc Corporation stated 78% of…
WGBH’s Jim Braude Asks, “Can It Be Maple Syrup If There’s No Maple In It?”
WGBH in Boston takes up the issue of truth in labeling.
Vermont Maple Sugar Makers’ Association Asks FDA to Crack Down on False Labeling
On Tuesday, February 16, the Vermont Maple Sugar Makers’ Association (VMSMA), in conjunction with maple syrup producers in Vermont, New York, Maine, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Wisconsin, Connecticut, Indiana, as well as the International Maple Syrup Institute and the North American Maple Syrup Council, sent a letter to the US Food…
Clean Labels: What Do Terms Like “100%” and “Pure” Mean?
Continuing our series on the Clean Label Initiative, today we look at the claims "100%" and "pure". Just what does the phrase "100 percent olive oil" mean? Olive oil that has been mixed with hazelnut, soybean, corn, peanut, vegetable, or canola oil can still carry the label "100% olive oil."…
Clean Labels: What Does “All-Natural” Mean?
In our Clean Label series, we've already written about "Is 'Natural' Healthier?". Now, let's look at the terms "all-natural" and "naturally-flavored" themselves. For us here at Coombs Family Farms, what makes us see red is when food producers use the word “maple” to describe their product when there is not…
Clean Labels: Do You Know What These Ingredients Are?
Take a look at the label on the right. Do you know what all those ingredients are? Some are just fancy names for common substances that you already know of, like Pyridoxine Hydrochloride. Sounds pretty bad, right? You know it as Vitamin B6, which is required for the proper function…
Clean Labels: Is “Natural” Really Healthier?
Paracelsus said, "The dose makes the poison." By this, he meant that virtually any substance is "toxic" (meaning, causing death) in sufficient quantities. This holds true for common substances, many of which are essential to life in the proper quantities. Even water and oxygen are "toxic" in large doses. So to…
Maple Syrup: The “Clean Label” Sweetener
There is a growing trend in the food industry toward “clean” labels. The term is s nebulous one, but in general, “clean labeling” refers to the response by food manufacturers to consumer demand for simple, easy-to-understand ingredient lists on products. ““We see consumers getting more assertive about what they expect…
