Transcript Consumer Savvy, Making good Choices (SSC Students)

Consumer SavvyMaking Good Choices
Chapter 8
Professor Steven Dion – Salem State College
Sport, Fitness & Leisure Studies Dept.
FTC ( Federal Trade Commission)
Regulates advertising claims made by
manufacturers of food, health, and fitness
products and services.
 Pursues legal action against manufacturers
who advertise deceptive ads or make
unsubstantiated claims.
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FTC
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Example:
– Jan 22, 1997
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FTC made allegations that Pizzaria Uno
was making false and misleading
advertisements about their thin crust pizza
being “Low Fat”. Pizzaria Uno settled by
agreeing not to misrepresent the amount of
any nutrition in their food products
containing baked crust.
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FDA (Food and Drug Administration)
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Regulates what additives can be added to
food, potential hazards (with additives,
pesticide residue etc.), what is stated on
food labels, the safety of cosmetics,
medicines, medical devices, feed and drugs
for pets and farm animals.
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CFSAN (Center for Food Safety
and Applied Nutrition)
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One of six major FDA Agencies.
It’s two main goals are:
– That the food supply remains safe nutritious, and
wholesome.
– That labels on foods and cosmetics maintain a
high level of accuracy.
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The Dietary Supplement Health
and Education Act
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Passed by Congress is 1994.
Reduces FDA control over vitamin, mineral,
enzymes, hormones, botanical and herbal
supplements (these substances were now classified
as food).
Only manufactures of drugs must proved research
to prove the effectiveness and safety of the
product. This exempts makers of dietary
supplements from the research requirement.
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The Dietary Supplement
Health & Education Act
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Supplement manufacturers claims about a supplement
are only limited to not being able to say the product can
prevent, treat or cure a disease.
Now the FDA must prove a product unsafe before
removing it from the market.
The purchases of dietary supplements in the U.S. rose
from 8 billion in 1994 to 12 billion in 1997.
The problem the FDA faced was that many supplements
taken in excess mimic the harmful effects of illegal
chemicals and drugs.
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As a Result:
The FDA developed labeling requirements for
products containing vitamins, minerals, herbs
or amino acids to supplement diets.
 The product must be labeled as a dietary
supplement
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As a Result:
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A “Supplement Facts” panel must be provided
containing:
Serving size.
Information on 14 nutrients when present at significant
levels i.e. sodium, iron, vitamin A and C.
Any added vitamins and minerals, or any that are part of
a nutritional claim, must be added.
Dietary ingredients that have no established Reference
Daily Intake (RDI).
Any blended ingredients and the amount.
The part of the plant used in any botanical ingredients
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As a Result:
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The term “High Potency” can only be used if the
product contains 100% or more of the RDI for that
vitamin or mineral. The term can only be used for
multi ingredient products if 2/3rds of the nutrients
levels are more then 100% of the RDI.
The term Antioxidant can only be used with claims for
“good source” and “high”, if evidence shows the
nutrient inactivates free radicals or prevents radicalinitiated chemical reactions.
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USDA (United States Department
of Agriculture)
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Serves as a link between basic science and consumers.
Its goal is to provide people with access to more
nutritious diets, improving American children’s eating
habits, and helping farmers distribute food purchased
under farmer assistance authorities.
Regulates food labels for poultry and meat.
Works with the Board of Health and Human Services on
the Dietary Guidelines for Americans.
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The New Food Label
Developed by FDA and Food Safety and
Inspection Service.
 Helps consumers choose healthier diets.
 Acts as an incentive for food companies to
improve nutritional quality.
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Nutrition Labeling and
Education Act
It requires manufactures to adhere to regulations
about what can and cannot go on food labels.
This reform includes:
 Defining “light”, “low fat”, and “High Fiber.”
 Declaring total juice percentage in juice drinks.
 Substantiating claims about the relationships
between foods/nutrients and health related
conditions.
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Nutritional Panel
Now called “Nutrition Facts”, it was
originally called “Nutrition Information Per
Serving”.
 Specific type size, style, spacing and
contrast are required to make the label
easier to read.
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Serving Sizes
Must represent actual quantities people can
eat at one time.
 Must be expressed in metric measures as
well as common household measurements
(i.e. cup, slice).
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Optional Components
Claims made about optional components, or
for foods enriched with them, the
corresponding information becomes
mandatory.
 Thiamin and Riboflavin are no longer
required because deficiencies are no longer
considered a public health significance.
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Nutritional Panel Format
Nutrient content per serving must be declared as
percentages of Daily Values.
 Amount of Micronutrients must be indicated to
the immediate right of each nutrient name.
 A column labeled “ % Daily Value” must appear
to prevent consumer confusion.
 Example:
 140mg of sodium sounds high but it only
represents 6% of our Daily Value.
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Daily Reference Value (DRV)
Comprised of 2 sets of standards, DRV and
Reference Daily Intake (RDI), but only
RDV appears on the label.
 A 2000 calorie diets serves as the reference
number of calories to determine the DRV
for energy producing nutrients.
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DRV For Energy-Producing
Nutrients
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Fat- 30%
Sat. Fat- 10%
Carbs- 60%
Protein- 10% (for
people 5 and older)
Fiber- 11.5g per 1000
calories
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DRV for Fat and
Sodium
Total Fat less than 65g
Sat Fat less than 20 g
Cholesterol less
than300mg
Sodium less than
2400mg
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Nutrient Context Descriptions
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FREE- Amount of component (fat, calories, etc.) must
be zero or inconsequential.
LOW- Foods that can be eaten frequently without
exceeding dietary guidelines for at least one of the
following: fat, saturated fat, cholesterol, sodium, and
calories.
LIGHT- The nutritionally altered product must have 1/3
fewer calories or ½ the fat of the reference food. It can
also be used to describe properties like texture and color.
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Nutrient Context Descriptions
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PERCENT FAT FREE- The product must be low fat or
fat free and that claim must reflect the amount present
in 100g of food.
IMPLIED TERMS- These terms are prohibited. For
example a products cannot claim to be a good source of
something unless the product contains enough of that
ingredient to be labeled a “good source”.
MEALS AND MAIN DISHES- The claim that a meal
or main dish is “FREE” of a nutrient means the meal or
dish must meet the same requirements met by
individual foods.
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Nutrient Context Descriptions
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HEALTHY- A “healthy” food must be low in fat
and saturated fat and have very little amounts of
sodium and cholesterol. A single food item must
provide 10% or more of one or more of the
following: vitamin A or C, iron, calcium protein,
or fiber. If it is a meal like food (frozen dinners,
etc) it must provide 10% of two or three of the
following: vitamin A or C, iron, calcium protein,
or fiber.
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