FDA rules manufacturers can't list “love” as an ingredient (2017)(salon.com)
salon.com
FDA rules manufacturers can't list “love” as an ingredient (2017)
https://www.salon.com/2017/10/07/fda-rules-your-favorite-food-was-not-made-with-love-after-all_partner/
7 comments
I would like to know why products can say "no artificial flavors" when they use artificial sweeteners.
I guess someone somewhere convinced people that "sweet" isn't a flavor.
But it's extremely misleading, and I feel like even if I know now to read the label carefully, what's the point if other people don't, so the shelves are taken over by "natural" products with sucralose and crap like that?
Also it seems to me like an ominous sign of the decline and corruption of the regulators.
I guess someone somewhere convinced people that "sweet" isn't a flavor.
But it's extremely misleading, and I feel like even if I know now to read the label carefully, what's the point if other people don't, so the shelves are taken over by "natural" products with sucralose and crap like that?
Also it seems to me like an ominous sign of the decline and corruption of the regulators.
In the FDA's case, it's less about the strictness of the definition, as convenience in labeling. Their definition of "flavor" includes being those "whose significant function in food is flavoring rather than nutritional".
Because sugar and other sweeteners have calories, they regulate sweeteners separately. Artificial sweeteners may not have calories, but they're still lumped in with the sweeteners because that's how people conceive them.
To be honest: the distinction between natural and artificial flavors is kind of bogus. There's no reason to think that the artificial ones are worse for you or taste worse. They're often the same chemicals; the artificial ones are more simple because they contain fewer other things.
The natural and artificial sweeteners are likely to make a much bigger deal because they are nutritive, and have bigger effects on your metabolism.
Because sugar and other sweeteners have calories, they regulate sweeteners separately. Artificial sweeteners may not have calories, but they're still lumped in with the sweeteners because that's how people conceive them.
To be honest: the distinction between natural and artificial flavors is kind of bogus. There's no reason to think that the artificial ones are worse for you or taste worse. They're often the same chemicals; the artificial ones are more simple because they contain fewer other things.
The natural and artificial sweeteners are likely to make a much bigger deal because they are nutritive, and have bigger effects on your metabolism.
rumor has it that "artificial flavors" are stuff like "blue punch" or "tropical purple" but "natural flavors" are "berry mix" and "orange swirl". Basically, if the flavor tastes like something natural, then it has no "natural flavors".
That's not true. The FDA's definition:
The term artificial flavor or artificial flavoring means any substance, the function of which is to impart flavor, which is not derived from a spice, fruit or fruit juice, vegetable or vegetable juice, edible yeast, herb, bark, bud, root, leaf or similar plant material, meat, fish, poultry, eggs, dairy products, or fermentation products thereof.
Yeah, so the only possible loophole I can see is the definition of "flavor".
Somehow, "sweet" must not legally be a flavor?
Furthermore, reading your quoted definition closely, it seems to me that "artificial" vanilla made from wood pulp could be considered non-artificial, so why isn't it? Or is it?
Somehow, "sweet" must not legally be a flavor?
Furthermore, reading your quoted definition closely, it seems to me that "artificial" vanilla made from wood pulp could be considered non-artificial, so why isn't it? Or is it?
Oxytocin is banned?
Even if there was some substance to including this term on the package (actually not the ingredients but rather the process) there is absolutely no way to verify it (any employee threatened to be downgraded will say they love their job, etc).
Could even mislead some people.
It would make more sense to write it on the package outside of the ingredients list, but my points above still hold (unverifiable etc).