Parsnip Chips Sink Ships

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Created on 16, March, 2014

Advertising/labeling for a dried parsnip chip claims parsnips are high in vitamins C, E and K, plus fiber, potassium and omega-3 fats.

Even if parsnips were high in E, K, fiber, potassium and omega-3 (which they aren't), one serving of the product containing them would also need to be high in the same nutrients in order to make these implied nutrient-content claims. The product nutrition label only shows data for two of these nutrients (fiber and vitamin C), and neither is even a good source (10% of Daily Value or more). To be "high in" a nutrient, there needs to be at least 20% DV. While fresh/raw parsnips are high in vitamin C (per one defined serving of 85 g), this dried snack product is not 100% parsnips and has lost much of its vitamin C during drying/processing. Therefore, none of the claims are allowed for this product. In addition, the product's nutrition label has data that is not properly rounded (per FDA regulations). Interestingly, the company also makes a snack from Brussels sprouts which is high in vitamin C, but no claim is used on that product, even though it would be allowed.

Many cheap and online database nutrition calculators/label-generators do not produce correct/compliant Nutrition Facts panels.