Earlier this week we posted about the halo effect of health claims, enticing consumers to believe a food may be more nutritious than it really is. Today we will take a closer look at the different types of health claims, their history, and the cooperation between the food industry and the FDA to allow more claims on packaged foods.

Background

The Nutrition Labeling and Education Act of 1990 (NLEA) was designed to give consumers nutrition information about the foods they eat. This includes the ingredient list and nutrition information panel we are all familiar with. Some players in the food industry were not very happy to disclose so much information, especially levels of “bad” nutrients. As a means to sweeten the deal, Read more…