Consumers Want Independent Low-Carb Certification
In the absence of guidelines from the Food and Drug Administration for the labeling of low-carb foods, consumers have been left to wonder if label claims are accurate. Independent testing and certification offers them a way to distinguish those foods low in carbohydrate and a certification seal is now available.
FALLS CHURCH, VA (PRWEB) May 4, 2004 -- In the absence of guidelines from the
Food and Drug Administration for the labeling of low-carb foods, consumers have
been left to wonder if label claims are accurate. For months, the debate has
raged within the industry about "net carb" calculations for everything from
sugar alcohols to fiber, with no clear answers for consumers.
"Consumers
are confused and getting wary of low-carb claims that have no solid definition,"
said Andrea Mondello of http://www.LowCarbEating.com. "A testing protocol,
administered independently by a non-profit organization, will provide consumers
with the confidence to trust label claims. This is the direction in which the
industry needs to go, and something consumers deserve."
The Carbohydrate
Awareness Council (CAC) and the Glycemic Research Institute (GRI) recently
released information about certification seals available for foods, restaurant
meals and raw material ingredients. Consumers will be able to judge foods for
their carbohydrate content claims as the seal becomes out-licensed in the coming
months. The Carb-Approved Food Certification Seal will allow consumers to
distinguish foods tested and verified as truly low in carbohydrate content
because the seal limits carbohydrate to 5-grams or less per serving.
"For
months we've heard from consumers and the message is clear - they want a way to
quickly identify those foods that are actually low in carbohydrate," said Regina
Schumann, the Council's COO. "They want a seal that is certified and approved by
an independent entity - a non-profit - that tests foods based on a
government-certified scientific protocol. This will prove to be much more
valuable to consumers than some of the current enticing label claims that are
sometimes based on fuzzy math formulas, offered by organizations with no
previous experience in the field, or simply sold to the highest
bidder."
The newly-developed certification seals are being made available
through a cooperative working relationship and exclusive license agreement
between the CAC the Glycemic Research Institute. The GRI already has
government-approved certification seals for low-glycemic foods and
nutraceuticals and has been in the food testing business for 20 years. "The
Carb-Approved Certification Seals will offer consumers utmost confidence in the
products that bear them." said Dr. Ann de Wees Allen of the GRI. "Consumers will
have the knowledge that the products that carry the certification seal have been
tested and meet the highest scientific and governmental standards."
An
education campaign targeted toward consumers will kick-off in the coming weeks
to explain the standards and guidelines. "Consumers are becoming more and more
savvy and know what they want," said Dr. Gil Wilshire of the CAC, "They want
accurate information. They want foods that will not negatively affect their
weight-loss goals nor impair their ability to maintain weight. They want a seal
that they can trust. We will provide that."
Consumers will soon have an
entire website available to help them understand the seals and how the testing
guidelines establish a rigorous protocol based on science. Until the website is
launched, consumers may visit http://www.CarbAware.org or http://www.glycemic.com for basic information about the
seals.
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Source : http://www.prweb.com/releases/2004/5/prweb123341.htm