Groceries across the state of Oregon are selling consumers misleadingly labeled foods and the Food and Drug Administration is doing nothing about it. This concern has been raised by health conscious consumers critical of the “Natural” label on foods.
Consumers Union is petitioning the FDA and USDA to stop using the “natural” label to mislead people about the quality of food they are eating or the processes by which such food is produced. In a Care2 petition, the union points to the vagueness of the term “natural” on food products since the term, the petition says, tells practically nothing about the kind of chemicals or processes involved in producing a food.
The petition particularly expresses concern over the animal-derived foods since the USDA-approved “organic” label assures that the food has not come from a source that used any synthetic chemicals or genetically modified technology in making the food.
“They also know they can slap the word ‘natural’ on just about anything,” says the petition about the manufacturers of foods. The petition calls on DFA for for stopping the use of the “natural” label and specifically label a food as organic or otherwise.
Close to 59 thousand people have signed this call for removal of the misleading “natural” label.