Wednesday, March 19, 2008

Food Labeling Guide Chapter 4 - Ingredient List

Calvin Klein can call their sweaters whatever they like. Smuckers, however, has long had to be very specific about what they call "preserves." That's because since shortly after the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act was passed in 1938, preserves, along with some other foods people commonly prepared at home in those days such as butter, mayonnaise and orange juice, were exempted from the law's requirement that food manufacturers list their products' ingredients on the food label. Instead, the new act provided for "standards of identity" or prescribed recipes for these foods, which the manufacturers had to follow.

Fast forward to the 1990's, where homemade butter and jelly mostly exist in Grandma's memories. Most people would not have the faintest idea what is in those standardized foods. The law was updated to require, among other things, ingredients for all standardized foods must listed on the label, the same as for all other foods.

This week, we look at Part 4 of 5 (!) of a Food Labeling Guide.

TTFN, Fred.

Quote of the week: "Nothing is so common as the wish to be remarkable." - William Shakespeare (English poet and playwright, widely regarded as the greatest writer in the English language, 1564 – 1616)

(scroll over or click on iPaper below to have a drop-down menu that includes a print option)

Food Labeling Guide Chapter 4 - Ingredient List


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