"Natural" written on food is not what we imagine

bySylvain Naudin

When walking on the food shop in the American supermarket, we often see the word "natural / natural" like "100% natural" "natural cheese." From the notation "nature" there is an impression that it is not using chemical substances, but what does it actually mean? That's why a movie close to the meaning of the word "nature" attached to food is on sale on YouTube.

The "natural" label on your food is baloney - YouTube


Arrived in the American supermarket.


A healthy geek reporter buys food with the notation "Natural (nature)". It takes a package of vanilla · marshmallows with 'all natural' ......


On the back of the package is "Carrageenan (Carrageenan) "The name of the compound which is not naturally derived even if it sees it is called.


Behind the processed foods written as "ALL NATURAL CHICKEN BREAST (all natural breast meat)" ......


"solidCorn syrup"Or"Maltodextrin"Dextrose"


For natural cheese ......


"NatamycinI was lined up with unfamiliar words.


Even if there is a notation "nature", if you look at the back of the package, you may get confused by the inappropriate name on it. But these kind of confusion is what many people are experiencing. In fact, in the United States between 2011 and 2016, more than 100 cases have been filed against the word "nature".


"Nonprofit consumer organization issued"Consumer · ReportIsAmerican Food and Drug Administration(FDA)Against, it has been invited to prohibit the companies use the term "natural".


According to a survey conducted in the United States, 60% of people understand that the expression "nature" in foods is regarded as "not using chemical substances or artificial substances as materials", but in fact There are many cases that consumers do not mean to imagine.


There are two government agencies that control foods in the United States. The first is FDA, including permission and regulation of 80% of food supply such as cereal, cheese, sweets etc.


However, the FDA does not have a strict definition of the notation "nature".


For this reason, the FDA explains that most of what we are eating is because there is not much similarity with what we have taken from nature. However, it is also true that the lack of clear definition creates consumer confusion.


Another government agency that regulates foodUS Department of Agriculture(USDA). USDA regulates eggs, beef, chicken, etc.


The definition of the term "nature" owned by USDA is more specific than FDA. When something is added to the animals after meat treatment ......


It will not be possible to express the food with the word "nature".


However, in the use of the word "nature", the breeding environment of animals is not questioned. Even flesh of animals given hormones and antibiotics can claim "nature".


Many people do not clearly understand the meaning of "nature" attached to food, but foods labeled "nature" will be better for sale.


2005, sales of organic food were 14 billion US dollars (about 1.6 trillion yen), in 2015 has become 400 billion dollars (about 4.5 trillion yen), organic food market in the past 10 years It is expanding.


However, in order to name "Organic" it is necessary to observe some rules. If you are using synthetic insecticides or chemical fertilizers, or in case of genetically modified organisms, you can not name organic. Cost and time are needed to name organic.


For that reason, companies are using the word "nature" instead of the word "organic" to enter organic markets that are growing and expanding while keeping costs down.


However, the situation is gradually changing, such as the end of the private opinion research period in that the FDA should make a clear definition of the word "nature"? "


However, even if the government defines the word "nature", "nature" does not mean the same as "healthy".


In a lawsuit, it has been shown that genetically edited plants can not be called "nature", but it is not that genetically edited plants "are dangerous to eat".


There are dangerous things in food additives,Center for Science in the Public Interest(CSPI)According to the survey, many are safe.


As a matter of fact, it is more dangerous than the synthesized additives that completely "natural" materials added in large quantities when the food is processed ......


It means salt and sugar.