Sugar Cereals Are Smart Choices? Fda Not So Sure
Well, federal health officials are having similar thoughts, and theyre warning food manufacturers.
The Food and Drug Administration said Tuesday that nutritional logos from food manufacturers may be misleading consumers about the actual health benefits of cereal, crackers and other processed foods. The agency sent a letter to companies saying it will begin cracking down on inaccurate food labeling. The FDA did not name specific products or give a timeline for enforcement.
U.S. manufacturers, including Kellogg, Kraft Foods and General Mills, rolled out their so-called Smart Choices program last year, amid growing concern about obesity rates. The green labels appear on the [...]
Some Poor Nations Succeeding In Fighting Hunger
Thanks to fertilizer he couldnt afford without government help, Jesitala harvested enough corn to feed his family this year. A report released Friday praised Malawis program, saying governments simply making agriculture a top priority and offering financial and other incentives to small farmers have seen some poor countries quickly move from importing food to producing surpluses.
In its report, ActionAid International ranked Malawi among the top five successful developing nations, with Brazil taking the lead, for cutting child malnutrition by 73 percent in six years.
“Whos Really Fighting Hunger” said Brazil succeeded at cutting child malnutrition by investing extensively in small-holder farmers [...]
Minn. Citys Get-healthy Effort Called A Success
The 69-year-olds radical lifestyle change came as part of the “Vitality Project,” an endeavor spearheaded by adventurer and travel writer Dan Buettner and AARP with major funding from United Health Foundation. Organizers say the project has added several years to the lives of Albert Lea residents through improved diet, exercise and living habits.
With organizers help, the city crammed five years of sidewalk and bike trail construction into a year to make exercise easier for its 18,000 residents. Restaurants added healthier menu options and grocery stores showcased wholesome foods. People snacked on fruits and veggies and ate less fast food.
Schools stopped [...]
Report: Communities Should Make It Easier For Families to Make Fat-fighting Healthy
Yes, whether you snack on a carrot or a doughnut is a personal choice, ultimately. But the report by the Institute of Medicine says local environments hugely influence those choices - and it calls on city and county governments to make it easier for families to make healthier decisions.
“In some communities, actually doing the healthy thing is not as easy as it might be in other places,” said Dr. Eduardo Sanchez, chief medical officer of Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Texas, who chaired the institutes report.
“Single actions can make a difference, and one at a time can start you [...]
Consumers Devouring Nutrient-spiked Foods, Drinks
A report released Thursday finds that even in a weak economy, people will pay a premium for products seen as preventing a health problem or providing a good alternative to sodas and empty-calorie snacks. The report is from research firm Pricewaterhouse Coopers.
These products include winners and sinners: juices that supply kids with needed calcium, but also candy disguised as granola bars with just a smidgeon of much-ballyhooed nutrients.
The industry calls these products “nutraceuticals” or “functional foods.” Critics say they could lead people to consume too much of certain nutrients, plus too many calories and fats.
New York University food scientist Marion [...]
U.s. Needs Canada-style Nourishment Regulator, Campbells Conant Says
Food-safety checks done by the Canadian Food Inspection Agency at Campbell Soups Toronto plant are more efficient than those conducted at the companys six domestic plants by the U.S. Department of Agriculture and the Food and Drug Administration, Conant said in prepared remarks scheduled to be delivered today at 7 p.m. at the Canadian Embassy in Washington. A copy of his speech was obtained by Bloomberg News.
“If the government of Canada can monitor the safety of its food products with one single food-inspection agency, why cant [...]
Folic Acid Offers More Protection Than Thought
Now pregnancy specialists are asking if its time for the government to boost the amount being added to certain foods to help ensure mothers-to-be get enough. But for older adults, there may be a down side to the nutrient: Extra-high levels late in life just might pose a cancer risk.
“Folate is assuming the role of a chameleon, if you will,” says Dr. Joel Mason of Tufts Universitys nutrition research center, who is researching that possible risk.
Folic acid is an artificial version of folate, a B vitamin found in leafy green vegetables, citrus fruit and dried beans. Everyone needs regular folate [...]
Nyc Takes Lead In Setting Next Nourishment Target _ Salt
About three-quarters of the salt Americans eat comes from prepared and processed food, not from the salt shaker. Thats why New York officials want the food industry to help cut back.
“Its very hard for an individual to do this on their own,” said Dr. Lynn Silver, an assistant commissioner in the health department.
The department has shown its clout with bans on artificial trans fats and rules forcing chain restaurants to post calorie counts. To comply, fast food chains changed their recipes nationwide, and other cities and states have enacted similar policies.
Some manufacturers said getting rid of trans fats took work, [...]
The Influence Game: Peanut Industry Wants Help Too
In a nutshell, thats the theme of a lobbying and public relations campaign to help the industry rebound from a salmonella crisis blamed for killing at least nine people and sickening nearly 700 others.
With more than 3,400 peanut products recalled in the outbreak linked to Peanut Corp. of America, a rattled public is buying less of them. One analyst puts the economic damage at $1 billion.
The effort by farmers and food manufacturers is part of a delicate strategy: Backing new federal food safety rules to help reassure consumers, while opposing steps they think go too far. It also illustrates a [...]
Cdc: Us Nourishment Poisoning Cases Held Steady In 2008
But produce-associated food poisonings have been increasing, and the nation is no longer whittling down food-borne disease, government officials said.
“Progress has plateaued,” said Dr. Robert Tauxe of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, a co-author of the report.
The report looks at the occurrence of about ten leading food-borne illnesses in ten states that participate in a federally-funded food poisoning monitoring system. CDC officials believe its nationally representative, based on the samples mix of geography and demographics.
The research appears in this weeks issue of a CDC publication, Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report.
Salmonella remained the most common cause of food [...]