Dispute Breaks Out Over “Mislabeling” of Sweetened Cranberry Products

The mislabeling of sugar-heavy products such as dried fruit, according to NCL, is of particular interest to consumers who may seek the nutrition benefits of sweetened dried cranberries without realizing they’re eating—and paying for—something that is actually quite different.

23 Nov 2009 --- The National Consumers League (NCL) called on the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to investigate misleading labeling involving a new food product, Ocean Spray’s “Choice.” According to NCL, the US’s oldest consumer advocacy organization, the product is sold to food manufacturers as a “sweetened dried cranberry” but contains more sugar than actual fruit and is made from cranberry skins – not whole cranberries.

“Sweetened dried cranberries (SDCs) have become the common or usual name for a popular ingredient in a variety of foods, capitalizing on the healthy image of cranberries and cranberry juice,” wrote Sally Greenberg, NCL Executive Director, in a letter to the FDA. The consumer group is concerned that, because this product is being sold as a “sweetened dried cranberry” for manufacturers’ use in breakfast cereals, cereal bars, baked goods, and trail mixes, it has the potential to result in the mislabeling of these food products.

NCL’s request that FDA investigate Ocean Spray’s Choice product is the latest in the organization’s longtime work in food safety, nutrition, and truth-in-labeling advocacy. After NCL called on the FDA to investigate claims made by Cheerios-maker General Mills last fall, this spring the federal agency issued a cease-and-desist letter to the cereal manufacturer because the health claims exceed those permitted for food products. In August, NCL sued General Mills in the Superior Court of the District of Columbia for continuing to claim that eating Cheerios would reduce total and “bad” cholesterol.

Ocean Spray's Ingredient Technology Group (ITG) responded with corrections to the labeling claim by the National Consumers League surrounding its "Choice" ingredient product.

Geoff Woolford, PhD., Vice President of Research and Development, issued the following statement:

"The recent claim about our 'Choice' sweetened dried cranberries ingredient product being mislabeled is inaccurate. We were disappointed the National Consumers League did not contact us to inquire about this product prior to issuing a press release. Our Choice product is made from Grade A superior frozen whole cranberries which are then sliced and sent through our patented process including infusion of sugar, citric acid and elderberry juice to infuse flavor and color specifically developed to meet our industrial customers' needs for their variety of recipes. Being made from whole cranberries, Choice retains many of the same healthful compounds. Ocean Spray's Choice product is just one ingredient product among a portfolio of flavor-infused ingredient products we sell to large industrial food manufacturers. Choice is not a product sold directly to consumers at retail. Choice is only sold as an ingredient for use in other food products. Choice is labeled accurately and the food manufacturers that buy this product receive a specifications sheet of ingredients as well as nutritional information of the product."

The mislabeling of sugar-heavy products such as dried fruit, according to NCL, is of particular interest to consumers who may seek the nutrition benefits of sweetened dried cranberries without realizing they’re eating—and paying for—something that is actually quite different.

SDCs are the fastest-growing segment of the cranberry market and traditionally consist of dried cranberries that have been infused with sugar and coated with a small amount of sunflower oil. Ocean Spray Cranberries Ingredient Technology Group recently introduced the “Choice” product to food manufacturers as a less expensive alternative to SDCs on the market. Foods currently on the market that NCL believes contain Ocean Spray Choice SDC are Ann’s House Good Health Energy (a blend of soy nuts, cranberries, almonds and pumpkin kernels); Nature Valley Fruit Bars; and Pepperidge Farm Chewy Granola Cookies.

The NCL pointed to laboratory analyses [which it commissioned], by Krueger Food Laboratories, on November 4, 2009, found that “Choice” is really little more than cranberry skin infused with sugar syrup, consisting primarily of inverted beet sugar and citric acid.  These characteristics are inconsistent with products using whole cranberries. The cranberry content is so small that Ocean Spray must add color in the form of elderberry juice concentrate and acidity in the form of citric acid to simulate the color and acidity of cranberries, the group argued.