Consumers want more clarity in food labels that declare products “natural” and “all natural,” according to NPD Group research reported by Convenience Store News.
Shoppers think these terms suggest wholesome food without chemicals and additives, but current FDA guidelines for such labeling allow ingredients that may not fall under that definition, including foods with high-fructose corn syrup or genetically modified grains.
The Food and Drug Administration is seeking public comments on the use of the term “natural” in food labeling, “in part because it received three Citizen Petitions asking that the agency define the term ‘natural’ for use in food labeling and one Citizen Petition asking that the agency prohibit the term ‘natural’ on food labels,” the agency says.
The FDA is accepting public comments through Feb. 10; read more here.
