Food/Nutrition Bloopers from Restaurants,
Food Companies, Web sites and News Media
The following are actual quotes or observations (the latest entries are at the top). Click for our comments. Some of these errors/misinformation have been subsequently corrected by their source and some have not.
Vitamin C in Pomegranate and Other Processed Juices
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- Created on 01, April, 2005
A pasteurized, bottled pomegranate juice blend shows 25% of our Daily Value for vitamin C on its Nutrition Facts label.
Calorie Content vs. Healthfulness
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- Created on 01, March, 2005
A professor of nutrition was quoted in a major newspaper saying that “when it comes to healthy eating, the key issue is calories;” that if two products have the same number of calories, there isn’t much difference in them nutritionally.
Taste and Texture in Refined vs. Whole-Grain Foods
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- Created on 01, February, 2005
An article on a major news media Web site attributes historically poor sales of whole-grain products to their “relatively bland taste compared with refined-grain products.”
Claims that FDA Regulates
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- Created on 01, January, 2005
A food article in a major metropolitan newspaper states that FDA “regulates only nutritional claims that draw an explicit connection between a particular product and a specific disease” and that “more general claims that an ingredient is healthful…” are not subject to FDA approval.
Good or Excellent "Source of Whole Grain"
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- Created on 01, January, 2005
A major food manufacturer is touting its revised breakfast cereals, saying all the products are now “made with whole grain” and all will now be “either a 'good’ or 'excellent’ source of whole grain.”
Advisor to Grocery Retailers Mis-Advises on Omega-3 Claims
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- Created on 01, December, 2004
A firm that advises grocery retailers on how to draw more health-conscious customers warns against “confusion caused by conflicting information” about nutrition.
Better School Vending Snacks?
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- Created on 01, November, 2004
A major online news/search company’s article about schools’ efforts to combat obesity lists peanuts as an example of “the least nutritious foods” and fruit bars and sunflower kernels as examples of “the most nutritious foods.” These food categories are part of a software program that is supposed to help schools and students choose better snacks from vending machines.
Best Sources of Omega-3
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- Created on 01, October, 2004
A food industry newsletter states that “major sources” of DHA and EPA (long chain omega-3 fatty acids) are “fish, flaxseed, canola oil, nuts and avocados.”
"No Trans Fat" Vegetable Oils?
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- Created on 01, September, 2004
Two new vegetable oils (one from sunflower seeds, one from soybeans) with claims of “no trans fatty acids” have been “created” for use in snack food products.
Vitamins A and C in Sweet vs. White Potato Chips
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- Created on 01, August, 2004
A potato chip product containing both sweet potatoes and white potatoes shows vitamin A content for a 1 oz serving as 0% of the Daily Value.
"Low-Sugar, Low-Calorie" Donut?
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- Created on 01, July, 2004
A metropolitan area newspaper announced that a major donut maker is developing a “low sugar” donut. The article also described it as a “low calorie” donut.
"Low-Carb" Wine
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- Created on 01, June, 2004
A major newswire states that a large winemaker has declared its new 2-carb wines to be “the first introduction of low-carb wines” in the US. Both the red and white contain 2 grams of carbohydrate (after the scientifically and legally required rounding of their figures) per 5 oz serving.