CSPI on Panera's clean label drive: ‘Just because something is hard to pronounce, doesn’t mean it’s unsafe’
“Just because something is artificial or its name is hard to pronounce, doesn’t mean it’s unsafe,” said CSPI Executive Director Michael F. Jacobson.
“Some of the additives Panera is ditching are perfectly innocuous, such as calcium propionate or sodium lactate—so those moves are more about public relations than public health.”
His comments came after Panera unveiled plans to remove artificial preservatives, sweeteners, colors and flavors from the food in its bakery-cafes by the end of 2016. Click HERE for full details.
He added: “Panera should have made clear that these improvements won’t happen at the soda fountain. Presumably the high-fructose corn syrup or the poorly tested sweetener acesulfame potassium will remain in the Pepsi and Diet Pepsi it sells; the same goes for the Yellow 5, the calcium disodium EDTA, and the brominated vegetable oil in its Mountain Dew.
“And, of course, if what you’re having at Panera is a 1,000-calorie panini with a day’s worth of sodium, or a 460-calorie soda, food additives should be the least of your concern.”
Panera's move came shortly after Chipotle announced plans to eliminate GMOs and selected additives from its menus (although it will still sell soft drinks with sweeteners from GE corn, and meat and dairy from animals fed GM grains).
Read what’s on Panera’s ‘No No’ list HERE.
