Capri Sun drinks harboring mystery bacteria strains, says microbiologist

Sunday, May 12, 2013 by: Lance Johnson
Tags: Capri Sun, bacteria, Kraft Foods

(NaturalNews) Kraft's famous juice drink, Capri Sun, is marketed to kids in squeezable, on-the-go pouches, equipped with a fun punch-in straw. Parents are often misled by marketing that praises the drink's healthy fruit juices. According to new findings from microbiologist Kathleen Dannelly from the Indiana State University, Capri Sun drinks may harbor more than just fake juices. Her findings suggest that the Tropical Punch, Roarin' Waters, and Fruit Punch varieties, are harboring at least five unidentified fungus strains.

The investigation all started when a concerned parent contacted a news station. The news station handed the suspicious Capri Sun samples to microbiologist Kathleen Dannelly. With the help of biology student Leah Horn, Dannelly spent a year pouring Capri Sun juice through a vacuum filter. They collected microbes from the samples and eventually confirmed that a fungal mat does exist in the drink pouches. More testing is being done to identify the mysterious strains.

Since Capri Sun has no preservatives in its juice pouches, even the tiniest pin prick in the pouch can let in enough oxygen to allow for mold to grow.

Kraft's Capri Sun product has received similar complaints in the past. In June 2010, a parent discovered a "foul smelling" object in her child's Capri Sun Apple Splash drink. In May 2011 a Texas resident claimed he found a worm in his Capri Sun. In 2012, a woman found a black particle covered in a disgusting fungal-like substance.

Kraft points out that by not adding preservatives to their drink pouches, the Capri Sun can fall susceptible to incidences similar to how bread mold occurs.

In an official statement released by Kraft foods: "If mold does occur, we completely agree that it can be unsightly and gross, but it is not harmful and is more of a quality issue rather than a safety issue."

Capri Sun full of processed high fructose corn syrup

Capri Sun drinks may be a fungal nesting ground, but they are also loaded with high fructose corn syrup.

On their website, Kraft addresses consumer's concerns over the use of high fructose corn syrup in Capri Sun. Kraft assures consumers that high fructose corn syrup is regarded as generally safe by the FDA.

The FDA has a long history of disregarding safety and complying to industry and market demands. The FDA are guilty of approving processed sugars and sugar substitutes that tear away at the very health of children and adults. One of the Capri Sun's products, Roarin Waters, also contains the synthetic sweetener Splenda. These chemical sweeteners exist merely to enable corporate profit growth, but these increasing profits have large and far reaching negative effects on children's health.

Stevia, the true, safe sweetener

Using natural sweeteners, like the organic stevia leaf, would provide parents a truly safer route. The leaf of the unadulterated stevia plant is a healthy alternative sweetener that contains no calories, does not raise blood sugar levels, and doesn't rot teeth. Consuming stevia instead of processed sugars will starve away diseases like obesity and diabetes while still giving food and drinks a sweet flavor.

The juice in Capri Sun is dead juice

According to Kraft's website, much testing has been done to ensure optimal shelf life for its Capri Sun products. Their drinks are heated to such high temperatures, that they exceed pasteurization heating levels. Heating the juice essentially kills the enzymes in the fruit juice, rendering it practically useless to the body. So if parents are giving their kid Capri Sun as a healthy alternative "juice" drink, they may want to reconsider and start juicing real, living fruits and vegetables instead. The enzymes in fresh juice help break down the vitamins into a digestible, usable form for the body. High heating kills all the good inside. Fresh juicing invites real nutrition into a child's life. Fresh juicing also helps people think outside marketing ploys of pasteurized juice drinks that are full of artificial and processed sugars, dead juices, and fungal strains.

Sources for this article include:

http://www.newsnet5.com

http://now.msn.com

http://www.kraftbrands.com