Many Sugar-Free Food Products Mislabeled, Warns FDA

Monday, December 31, 2007 by: David Gutierrez, staff writer
Tags: sugar-free, food labeling, food ingredients

(NewsTarget) The FDA has issued a statement warning food manufacturers that the agency is concerned about the prevalence of products on the market that are breaking rules about sugar-free labeling and is prepared to take action to enforce federal rules.

At issue is the requirement that foods marketed as "sugar free" (including similar claims such as "zero sugar" or "sugarless") that are not low in calories bear a disclaimer such as "not a low (or reduced) calorie food" or "not for weight control." Federal rules require that such disclaimers be "prominently and conspicuously" displayed each time a sugar-free claim is used, and that they be printed in letters at least one-sixteenth of an inch high.

Foods that contain less than 0.5 grams of sugar per serving may be labeled as sugar free, but the agency maintains that consumers need further information to make healthy dietary choices. The guidance letter and the stated intent to crack down on false labeling are part of the agency's effort to tackle the still-worsening epidemic of obesity in the United States.

Obesity is at an all-time high in the United States, which has the highest rates in the First World. The prevalence of the condition has doubled in adults since 1980, and more than 32 percent of adults are now considered obese. Among children, rates are also high and continue to increase.

The FDA has also taken more specific action, issuing a warning letter to Oberlander Bakery over its violation of sugar-free and cholesterol-free labeling rules. In addition to failing to label its Fresh Sugar Free cookies as "not a low calorie food," Oberlander also illegitimately uses a "no cholesterol" statement.

Under federal regulations, only foods with no cholesterol that also contain 2 grams or less of saturated fat can be marked with such a label. The Oberlander cookies contain 2.5 grams of saturated fat.