Читать книгу Zero Waste Cooking For Dummies - Rosanne Rust - Страница 47

Food labels have never had more information on them, nor been more confusing. Food labels include a standardized Nutrition Facts Panel and list of ingredients that is regulated by the FDA. It also can include a lot of labeling or icons on the front of the package. Most of these front-of-package claims are not regulated and mostly serve as a marketing tactic.

Health claims are regulated, but other claims aren’t. For instance, the term natural on a food label has no defined meaning nor is it regulated by the FDA. The term plant-based sometimes suggests that a product is improved because it’s replaced meat with plants. There are too many unregulated and misleading terms to cover here but there are a few I want to highlight.

Green marketing is a form of eco-labeling that states a product is sustainably sourced, developed, or packaged. Companies are usually required to follow guidelines to make these claims, and this comes at a cost. Certification terms such as Sustainably Grown Certified, USDA Organic, and Demeter Biodynamic are well defined and verified by third-party organizations. However, don’t be fooled by “greenwashing” label tactics. Greenwashing is a form of green marketing that makes false or unsupported claims to make the product appear more sustainable or healthy for the planet. Front of package labeling like “earth-friendly,” “natural,” or “eco-green” is simply a marketing ploy and has no defined meaning.