Are Food Makers’ Health Claims Valid?

Just how valid are food makers’ health claims on their packaging? We as consumers tend to believe what we read on a food package, unless of course there is a far overreaching claim that a even a 5 year old knows is a bunch of bull.  Something like Redco Food’s Salada Naturally Green Tea which promised to tackle Alzheimer’s’ and cancer all in one swig.  Even Cheerio’s claimed that it could lower your cholesterol by 4 percent within 6 weeks, until the U.S. Food and Drug Administration sent General Mills a cease and desist letter.  Making health claims on food packaging is big business.  Food manufacturers that had some type of health claim on their package generated $31 billion in sales in 2008, a 14 percent increase over 2006.  Walk into any health food store and labels just seem to scream at you that they can pretty much solve just about anything.  But, that may be changing.  The FDA issued 17 letters this past March to companies to cease and desist on their health benefit claims on their packaging.  It is a small pittance compared to what the Europeans have done in the EU.  Europe passed strict legislation regarding health claims on food products.  So strict that 80 percent of labels submitted to the EU FDA equivalent were rejected.  Dannon yogurt products are labeled quite differently in Europe compared to their U.S. label.  Many of their health claims in the U.S. are banned in Europe because they are not substantiated.  There seems to be a lot of false advertising going on here in the U.S. on food products.  The FDA’s 17 letters compared to the EU is pathetic.  We need the same tough standards the Europeans have created on food products.  I for one would really like to know what I’m eating – wouldn’t you?