FDA warns Alexia Foods over ‘all natural’ label claim

By Caroline Scott-Thomas

- Last updated on GMT

Related tags Flavor Label

FDA warns Alexia Foods over ‘all natural’ label claim
The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has issued a warning letter to Alexia Foods for labeling a product ‘all-natural’, although it contains disodium dihydrogen pyrophosphate, which the agency says is a synthetic preservative.

The FDA said that the Alexia brand Roasted Red Potatoes & Baby Portabella Mushrooms product is misbranded under legislation that says a food will be deemed misbranded if its labeling is false or misleading in any particular.

“Your Alexia brand Roasted Red Potatoes & Baby Portabella Mushrooms product contains disodium dihydrogen pyrophosphate, which is a synthetic chemical preservative,”​ the warning letter said. “Because your products contain this synthetic ingredient, the use of the claim “All Natural” on this product label is false and misleading, and therefore your product is misbranded.”

Alexia Foods is owned by ConAgra Foods.

Director of communication and external relations for ConAgra Foods, Becky Niiya, told FoodNavigator-USA in an email: “We’re working with the FDA and will likely change the product.”

When asked for more information, she said: “ConAgra Foods is committed to remaining in compliance with all applicable FDA requirements and we are diligently working to address their concern.”

The FDA also noted that several Alexia Foods products used the words ‘all natural’ on their labels and recommended that the company should review all of its product labels to ensure foods are not misbranded.

The FDA currently has no definition of ‘natural’, although it has not objected to its use on food labels “provided it is used in a manner that is truthful and not misleading and the product does not contain added color, artificial flavors, or synthetic substances.”

The agency’s allegation that the company misused the term ‘all natural’ is the only violation cited in the FDA’s warning letter, which is available online here​.

Related news

Show more

Related products

show more

Consumer Attitudes on Ultra-Processed Foods Revealed

Consumer Attitudes on Ultra-Processed Foods Revealed

Content provided by Ayana Bio | 12-Jan-2024 | White Paper

Ayana Bio conducted the Ultra-Processed Food (UPF) Pulse survey, offering insight into consumers’ willingness to consume UPFs, as well as the variables...

White Paper: Solving for Sugar Reduction

White Paper: Solving for Sugar Reduction

Content provided by ADM: Innovation that Feeds the Future | 02-Nov-2023 | White Paper

Sugar does more than provide sweetness. It is a foundational ingredient, contributing to texture, color, and mouthfeel while also providing the necessary...

Related suppliers

4 comments

Show more

Will Alexia pay for their deception...

Posted by Dan Briggs,

Looks like a lawsuit was filed about this issue.

http://www.marketwatch.com/story/baron-and-budd-lawsuit-accuses-alexia-foods-of-mislabeling-natural-products-2012-01-26

Report abuse

All Natural?

Posted by Dawn,

"Natural" is currently not a regulated term... however I think the "all-natural" designation is what really got them here. There are plenty of baked products out there that claim the "natural" status... yet they use standard non aluminum Baking Powder... read the subingredients on THAT...[baking powder (sodium acid pyrophosphate, sodium
bicarbonate, monocalcium phosphate, cornstarch]...
As consumers we need to read labels and not let the advertising dictate. There is no one-size-fits-all in the food industry... different allergies, likes, & needs...

Report abuse

Alexia/ConAgra Obviously have

Posted by Jake,

I do not think Alexia/Conagra tried to deceive the public - if they wanted to do that they would have not listed the disodium dihydrogen pyrophosphate on the label. They apparently just do not have anyone with a "legal" brain reviewing their labeling.

Report abuse

Follow us

Products

View more

Webinars