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GOURMET NEWS JANUARY 2015 www.gourmetnews.com GENERAL NEWS 6 Food Database Continued from PAGE 1 ShopRite granola bars score a 10 (these bars are 13 percent sugar by weight and contain 50 ingredients). By accounting for factors such as artifi- cial flavors and preservatives, contaminants such as mercury in fish and arsenic in rice and degree of processing, the database seeks to give shoppers a more rounded pic- ture than what current nutritional labels provide. In terms of data sources, EWG re- ported using governmental sources and peer reviewed scientific literature. For instance, EWG bases its seafood mercury component on the FDA's database and scientified reviews on the subject. For pesticide residue, EWG uses a USDA database. This is according to EWG's Deputy Director of Research, Nneka Leiba, although she concedes that EWG uses such data to estimate similar values for the specific products it scores. The organization does not test individual products for mercury, pesticide residue or other components, and it relies on a product's standard nutrition label and in- gredient list for scoring. Among the critics of the program is Ed Byers, CEO of Cindy's Kitchen. The com- pany makes 75 products, including gour- met salad dressings, dips and cooking sauces, 22 of these products which ap- pear in Food Scores. Byers points out that Cindy's Roasted Garlic Caesar Dressing is listed as including "Expeller Pressed Canola Oil," with a separate note stating that this oil "may be genetically engi- neered or derived from GE crops." In fact, the dressing contains non-GMO ex- peller pressed canola oil, as plainly listed on the label. "A great deal of the information they have published on our ingredients is inac- curate," said Byers. EWG accepts feedback and corrections from manufacturers, and while Byers noted that it will be a time-consuming process to review all of the information on his prod- ucts and submit documentation for correc- tions, he added that Cindy's was committed to working with EWG to correct the mis- takes. EWG does not downscore products for containing ingredients derived from GE seeds, but it does note their possible inclu- sion. Other critics of Food Scores point to additional problems. The database's fac- toring of the degree of food processing is a particular point of contention. Man- ufacturers and some industry experts take issue with the "more processing equals less healthy" stance held by EWG, saying this discourages the pur- chase of certain products for no good reason. "The whole issue of processing is really one that can be clarified if you just look at the result," said Dr. Ruth Kava, Senior Nu- trition Fellow at the American Council on Science and Health. "If it's a food that is empty of nutrients, then consumers should know that, but processing in and of itself is not necessarily a bad thing." The notion of Food Scores downgrading any produce that is not certified organic, in part due to "pesticide residue load" is an- other point of criticism. The EPA sets ac- ceptable residue limits for various pesticides, and the USDA tests produce. Critics of Food Scores assert that produce approved by the EPA as having acceptable levels of residue, should not be down- graded in the database. EWG states that the presence of pesti- cide residue, even at levels acceptable to the EPA, poses some degree of risk, and that the government acknowledged as much in the landmark Food Quality Pro- tection Act of 1996. This legislation re- quired the government to make available in grocery stores brochures calling atten- tion to the potential risks of pesticide ex- posure, even through the consumption of "approved" produce. While the EPA stopped publishing such brochures in 2007, EWG has continued to inform the public of this information through its an- nual "Shopper's Guide to Pesticides in Produce." Noting the particular suscep- tibility of children to the effects of pesti- cides, The American Academy of Pediatrics in 2012 endorsed this guide as an important resource in protecting chil- dren. For its part, EWG notes that the 0.5 downgrade of non-organic products takes into account not only pesticide residue, but other differences between organic and con- ventional production, such as different rules on dyes, preservatives, meat and dairy production and other factors. Some industry organizations have charged that Food Scores uses a blanket approach regarding food hazards and does not account for factors such as geograph- ical differences in contaminants. An ex- ample is arsenic levels in rice, with critics asserting that rice grown in California tends to show lower levels of arsenic than rice grown in Texas. EWG uses a single arsenic score component for all rice of a particular variety, regardless of where it was grown. Sonya Lunder, Senior Analyst at EWG, countered that what seems like an over- simplification is not necessarily the case. She noted that while there is some sug- gestion of regional differences in arsenic concentration, "the FDA, in its 2013 re- port of over 1,300 tested rice samples, cautioned that its data were not adequate to draw conclusions about regional dif- ferences." Food Scores uses this FDA data in its arsenic-rice caution compo- nent. "Where test data show that a single serving of food contains more arsenic than legal in an 8-ounce glass of water, we categorize arsenic as a 'moderate' con- cern," Lunder said. "In categories where arsenic concentrations are lower, we cat- egorize this as a 'lower concern.'" While critics raise several concerns over Food Scores, perhaps the greatest is that the program oversimplifies the com- plex nature of food choices. "When con- sumers see a one-off ' guidance that has ratings for individual foods without giv- ing the context of an entire diet, it can mislead them," said Marianne Smith Edge, MS, RD, Senior Vice President of Nutrition and Food Safety at the Interna- tional Food Information Council Foun- dation. "It can lead them to believe that a single recommended food makes them healthy, which really isn't the case." This could cause shoppers to bypass quality, nutritious products on retail shelves, in favor of products that score the highest on the database. Through IFIC Foundation's extensive research on labeling, which Smith Edge states helped lead to the Facts Up Front panel on many food packages, it was found that consumers want information presented in a simple, concise way. She characterizes the Food Scores algorithm, with its three-pronged score incorporat- ing nutrition, ingredient concern and amount of processing, as anything but simple. Smith Edge noted that research by IFIC Foundation and other organiza- tions has demonstrated that too much information on labels can confuse con- sumers and prevent them from making healthy food choices. Some manufacturers and retailers are wary of a new system that purports to safe- guard consumers against unhealthy food products, when there is already a system in place. Dr. Ruth Kava from the American Council on Science and Health asserts that the system of labeling, and oversight of production by the FDA and USDA makes for a safe and healthy food supply, and that programs like Food Scores can unduly frighten consumers. As an example, the Food Scores pro- gram downgrades some fish products for containing mercury evels that the FDA has determined may be dangerous to pregnant women, and young children. However, these downgraded scores could also discourage adult men, as well as non-pregnant women from eating such products, even though the FDA considers them safe, and even encouraged, in these populations. Kava said, "The FDA regu- lates these things, and I think the FDA levels are what people should be paying attention to." GN Trade Show Buzz The Mexican Healthy Products Summit offers an exclusive opportunity for healthy products companies interested in beginning or expanding distribution in the Mexican retail marketplace. Over 60 buyers representing six sectors of Mexi- can retailers will attend. These six sec- tors include supercenters such as Walmart and Costco; supermarkets such as HEB Mexico, Chedraui, and Commer- cial Mexicana; specialty health food stores including The Green Corner and Origenes Organicos; pharmacies includ- ing Benavides and Guadalajara; conven- ience stores such as Oxxo and Super City; and department stores including Liverpool and El Palacio de Hierro. Building off the first show's success, exhibitors and buyers will have the op- portunity to establish and build relation- ships in an intimate, fun setting with one-on-one meetings and networking events. Also, expert speakers will present on a diverse slate of topics, including reaching the Mexican consumer, the lat- est healthy lifestyle trends and research and best export practices. Mexico's burgeoning healthy products market reflects a growing middle class, the government's campaign to fight obe- sity through education, new food nutri- tion laws and increased access to healthier products. As Mexican con- sumers begin to change their lifestyle habits, a variety of retailers are striving to meet the demand for healthier choices. "The Mexican healthy products mar- ket is rapidly expanding as consumers become more aware of how what they eat and what they place on their bodies af- fects their overall well-being," said John Pagliaro, President of The Mexican Healthy Products Summit. "Healthy food and personal care products are leading the way and the Mexican retail sector is looking for new products to sell." Boulder Brands' Vice President and General Manager of International Sales Joe Gancio called the Summit extremely p r o d u c t i v e . "We found the networking to be outstand- ing," he said. "It gave us the opportunity to meet new customers and open up some new doors to the Mexican market." Pat Deaveau, Director of Sales for Desert Essence, said, "It's been a great show for us. We met a lot of new cus- tomers, and we learned how to enter the Mexican market." Lundberg Family Farms' Todd Kluger, Vice President of Sales and Marketing, echoed Gancio's and Deveau's praise of the Summit. "It has been a wonderful event. We had a great chance to meet retailers," he said. "In the past, we only had distribu- tion going through distributors into Mex- ico, so we did not have contact with the retailers themselves. We had a real chance to sit down and talk to the re- tailers and discuss how we build our brand to the consumer and connect with the consumer that wants healthy and or- ganic products." The Mexican Healthy Products Summit will take place January 23-25, 2015 at the Sheraton Buganvilias Resort and Conven- tion Center in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico. For details and to exhibit, contact John Pagliaro at john@healthyproductssummit.com, call 410.828.4637, or visit www.healthy productssummit.com. GN Top Mexican Buyers to Convene in Puerto Vallarta for Mexican Healthy Products Summit

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