Shopping Cart Full of Red Lights!

FDA considers food-label symbols to steer shoppers toward healthier eating

ANDREW BRIDGES

Associated Press Writer

WASHINGTON — Next month, General Mills Inc. and Kellogg Co. will begin emblazoning their breakfast cereals with symbols that summarize complex nutritional information — part of the growing use of logos to steer harried grocery shoppers toward healthier choices.

The proliferation of such symbols is a worldwide phenomenon, with government regulators in Britain, Sweden and elsewhere establishing logo systems that concisely indicate how nutritious food products are. In the United States, however, corporations have been left to devise their own schemes. That's led to a patchwork of systems that some fear further confuses consumers already unsure about how to eat wisely.

On Monday, the Food and Drug Administration took a first step toward clearing matters up, inviting food companies, trade groups, watchdog organizations, medical experts and its overseas counterparts to share how front-label symbols, like the "traffic light" system used in Britain, can improve public health.

The FDA stressed the meeting was a preliminary step as it considers whether to establish a national symbol system. Any action is likely years away — and, even then, any system is likely to be voluntary.

Absent federal action, food manufacturers and retailers have taken matters into their....(complete story here)

The Nanny patrol is in full force. If some groups have their way, beef will have a "Red" light on it. To go even farther -- if PETA had it's way, all meat and milk products would have "Red" lights on them. I think that I'm the best judge of what I want to eat. Admittedly, some food labels are difficult to interpret in order to know what is really in them and it might be helpful to have some clarification, but a Stoplight is ridiculous.