Label Transparency Goes Mainstream

It may have started with the Millenials, but according to Phil Lempert The Supermarket Guru, the Clean Label movement has gone mainstream: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j047TP3gBxU However, consumers' desire for information regarding the food they eat extends beyond reading labels.  A recent study conducted by Harris Poll and commissioned by Digimarc Corporation stated 78% of…

Vermont Maple Sugar Makers’ Association Asks FDA to Crack Down on False Labeling

On Tuesday, February 16, the Vermont Maple Sugar Makers’ Association (VMSMA), in conjunction with maple syrup producers in Vermont, New York, Maine, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Wisconsin, Connecticut, Indiana, as well as the International Maple Syrup Institute and the North American Maple Syrup Council, sent a letter to the US Food…

Clean Labels: What Does “All-Natural” Mean?

In our Clean Label series, we've already written about "Is 'Natural' Healthier?". Now, let's look at the terms "all-natural" and "naturally-flavored" themselves. For us here at Coombs Family Farms, what makes us see red is when food producers use the word “maple” to describe their product when there is not…

Clean Labels: Is “Natural” Really Healthier?

Paracelsus said, "The dose makes the poison."  By this, he meant that virtually any substance is "toxic" (meaning, causing death) in sufficient quantities.  This holds true for common substances, many of which are essential to life in the proper quantities.  Even water and oxygen are "toxic" in large doses.  So to…

Maple Syrup: The “Clean Label” Sweetener

There is a growing trend in the food industry toward “clean” labels. The term is s nebulous one, but in general, “clean labeling” refers to the response by food manufacturers to consumer demand for simple, easy-to-understand ingredient lists on products. ““We see consumers getting more assertive about what they expect…