Growing concern over food quality and safety has prompted the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to take action against 17 companies for labeling violations. In a statement issued October 2009, FDA Commissioner Dr. Margaret Hamburg encouraged food companies to review their labeling to ensure that they were in compliance with FDA regulations. In addition, FDA soon will propose guidance for the industry regarding nutrition labeling on the front of food packages, and plans to work collaboratively with the food industry to design and implement innovative approaches to front-of-package labeling that can help consumers choose healthy diets.

Continuing this initiative, Dr. Hamburg recently issued an open letter to industry on the importance of accurate nutrition labeling of food products, and, the agency issued Warning Letters to 17 manufacturers informing the firms that the labeling for 22 of their food products violate provisions of the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act that require labels to be truthful and not misleading.

“Today, ready access to reliable information about the calorie and nutrient content of food is even more important, given the prevalence of obesity and diet-related diseases in the United States,” Dr. Hamburg said in the letter to industry. She also expressed her hope that the Warning Letters would clarify the FDA’s expectations for food manufacturers as they review their current labeling.

The violations cited in the Warning Letters include unauthorized health claims, unauthorized nutrient content claims, and the unauthorized use of terms such as “healthy,” and others that have strict, regulatory definitions. Companies that received Warning Letters have 15 business days to inform the FDA of the steps they will take to correct their labeling.

The following companies were cited.

1. Dreyers Grand Ice Cream, Inc.
Nestle Drumstick Classic Vanilla Fudge
Dreyers Dibs Bite Sized Ice Cream Snacks Vanilla Ice Cream with Nestle Crunch Coating
2. Gorton's, Inc.
Gorton's Fish Fillets
3. Schwan's Consumer Brands
Mrs. Smith's Coconut Custard Pie
4. Spectrum Organic Products, Inc.
Organic All Vegetable Shortening
5. Beech-nut
Beechnut DHA Plus line of products
Beechnut Whole Grain Oatmeal with mixed fruit
6. PBM Products
Parent's Choice Little Puffs Plus Calcium Blueberry Naturally Flavored
Parent's Choice Little Puffs Made with Whole Grains Peach-Mango Naturally Flavored
7. Nestle
Juicy Juice Brain Development Fruit Juice Beverage (Apple)
Juicy Juice All-Natural 100% Juice Orange Tangerine and Juicy Juice All-Natural 100% Juice Grape
8. Nestle Nutrition
Gerber's 2nd Foods Carrots
Gerber Graduates Puffs
9. Redco Foods
Salada Naturally Decaffeinated Green Tea
10. Sunsweet Growers
Antioxidant Blend Dried Fruit Mix
11. Fleminger Inc.
TeaForHealth Green Tea products Dr. Lee's TeaForHealth 710EGCG in a bottle Green Tea

Tea For Health 710EGCG Ready-To-Drink Natural Brewed Green Tea
12. POM Wonderful
POM Wonderful 100% Pomegranate Juice
13. Ken's Foods, Inc.
Ken's Healthy Options Salad Dressings
14. Pompeian, Inc.
Pompeian Imported Extra Light Olive Oil
15. Diamond Food, Inc.
Diamond of California Shelled Walnuts
16. First Juice, Inc.
Organic Fruit and Veggie Juice Beverage products
Purple carrot products
17. Want Want Foods
Baby Mum-Mum Original Selected Superior Rice Rusks

For more information go to http://www.fda.gov/Food/LabelingNutrition/ucm202726.htm.