FDA Health Food Labels Found to Be Meaningless

The bad news for the FDA is that a study of almost 2,000 consumers revealed that a class of food labels that was recently approved by the agency is nothing but confusing. And the really bad news is that the study was conducted by the FDA.
According to this piece in the Washington Post, the confusion started two years ago, when the FDA caved to pressure from the food industry and granted manufacturers permission to make "qualified health claims," provided they carry the caveat that the claims are not widely accepted among scientists. Since then, assertions such as "Limited and not conclusive scientific evidence suggests that eating about 2 tablespoons of olive oil daily may reduce the risk of coronary heart disease due to the monounsaturated fat in olive oil" have bewildered shoppers and infuriated researchers at places like the Center for Science in the Public Interest. The new study, the Post reports, has made it clear that nothing about the new labels is clear. Confused yet? Just wait: The FDA is planning a public hearing on the matter next month. Read more.