Citizens for Health Alert: The Petition Edition
Citizens for Heatlh
Yes, We at CFH are Fans of Wordplay...
Well, Usually...
November 14, 2013
Dear Citizen for Health,
We're pretty sure you've noticed in some prior alerts that we like a little wordplay at CFH - puns, alliteration, rhyming - sometimes a little humor is a good way to maintain a healthy emotional balance when working on issues so critical for maintaining health and wellness.
However, when it comes to the kind of "wordplay" the Corn Refiners Association (CRA) and some food and beverage producers indulge in to mislead consumers, we draw a firm line.
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The CRA tried it when they tried to change the name for high fructose corn syrup (HFCS) to "corn sugar". We and consumers weren't buying it, and thanks to your efforts, neither did the FDA. Dannon is hoping it will work when they refer to pulverized insects used to color their yogurt by the scientific name "carmine". Accurate, but not fully informative.
That's why we want to remind you about our "Read Your Labels" campaign, and two petitions addressing these issues.
While you've probably noticed HFCS in lists of ingredients, there's no way to know what percentage of food and beverage products HFCS represents. And, while the FDA has "generally recognized
as safe" (GRAS) concentrations of HFCS of 42%-55%, beverage makers and the CRA have acknowledged they use concentrations much higher than that - as high as over 90% HFCS. Watch this informative video to learn more about this important issue
And as the Center for Science in the Public Interest (CSPI) has noted, given that it is easy for Dannon to use safer, plant-based colors why use crushed beetles at all when they pose an allergy risk for some consumers, as well as a challenge for vegetarians and those who eat kosher? (Starbucks once used the same
insects for coloring but responded to public outcry by replacing them with lycopene, a natural tomato-based extract). That's why we heartily support the CSPI petition urging Dannon to "put berries before bugs". You should too - click here to do so.
Wordplay is fun - but not when one's health is at stake.
Thanks, as always, for being involved,
The Citizens for Health Team
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