The war on natural: Food companies are being sued over natural food labels

This blog has reported extensively on the Proposition 37 bill that was voted down in California, which would have demanded food manufacturers to label whether their products contain genetically modified organisms (GMO). But, immediately following Election Day, a major manufacturer was sued for a misleading label involving GMOs.

According to FoodNavigator, Sonya Bolerjack of Colorado alleged that Pepperidge Farm mistakenly or misleadingly represented its crackers as “natural” when they are not, because they contain genetically modified organisms. Because the soy in the goldfish has been modified at the DNA level, it contains elements that are not natural, making the statement on the product’s label false.

“We don’t comment on the specifics of pending litigation but we are confident in the accuracy of our labels and stand behind our products,” a spokeswoman for Pepperidge Farm told FoodNavigator.

In addition to the “People v. Goldfish” lawsuit, Slate Magazine states that General Mills has also experienced similar allegations over its Nature Valley granola bars. Frito-Lays’ Tostitos and SunChips are also in the same boat as Goldfish, as well as Kashi breakfast cereals and Kix cereal.

It’s clear that many major companies may need to change their labels, depending on what agreements they may come to in court.

During changing times, companies may need to change their custom labels at a moment’s notice, while still creating the food labels that are attractive enough to market the product. By investing in a Primera LX400 color label printer, businesses can adjust their custom labels quickly while still maintaining the high-quality needed to for products pop off the shelves.