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Date Posted: 07:01:32 03/02/04 Tue
Author: J.R.Smith, c.f.t. ISSA
Subject: More info on carbs and Atkins!

WASHINGTON, Feb 04, 2004 (United Press International via COMTEX) -- As the Atkins diet fad rages on, food manufacturers have begun to catch on to advertising ploys that glorify the newest, ominous buzz word: low-carb.

Though the U.S. Food and Drug Administration currently prohibits the use of both explicit and vague carbohydrate claims in foods, the market has experienced an onslaught of products plastered with mention of the high calorie nutrient. Convenience chains, such as 7-Eleven stores, offer more than 50 snacks touted as low-carb.

Two groups are pressuring the FDA to establish labeling requirements for low-carbohydrate foods. If the agency decides to develop labels for carbohydrates, the nutrient will become the first to have its own labeling standards.

On Monday, the Grocery Manufacturers of America submitted a petition to the FDA to establish new regulations for claims about carbohydrate nutrient content.

"On behalf of our members, we want to make sure there is solid, scientific evidence behind product labels," Stephanie Childs, manager of public policy communications for GMA, told United Press International in a telephone interview.

In the petition, the GMA recommends labeling foods and beverages as "carbohydrate free," "low carbohydrate," "good source of carbohydrate" and "excellent source of carbohydrate," based on the National Academy of Sciences' Macronutrient Report and FDA's previously approved nutrient content claims, which include "low fat," "reduced sodium" and "good source of calcium."

The Center for Science in the Public Interest, an advocacy group in Washington, announced its support of GMA's request for FDA action on Monday as well. Though CSPI agreed that FDA needs to define low-carb, it also called on the agency to regulate nebulous, implied low-carb claims such as "carb fit" and "net carb," and to require "not a low-calorie food" next to carb claims.

"Food companies can do whatever they want right now," said Bonnie Liebman, CSPI's director of nutrition. "It's like the Wild West of labeling out there."

In addition to its concern about the rampant use of confusing low-carb terms, CSPI also said people are eating low-carb foods without understanding that those foods are high in calories.

"It's a huge leap of faith to assume that the calories in a lower-carb food don't count," said Liebman.

CSPI recommends FDA set the low-carb limit at 6 grams or less, while the GMA's consultants advise 9 grams or less.

Some nutrition experts agree low-carb foods might not be the answer for people looking to decrease their calorie intake and waistlines.

"In our research we found that low-carb foods are not low in calories and their portion size is smaller than that of higher-carb foods when the calorie count is the same," said Bonnie Jortberg of the University of Colorado's Center for Human Nutrition in Boulder. "The consumer is being left open to false information without good labels."

According to Dr. Gil Wilshire, president and chief scientific officer for the Carbohydrate Awareness Council in Falls Church, Va., high carbohydrate consumption is to blame for the nation's obesity epidemic.

"The low-fat, high-carb diet that has been advocated for the last 20 years has been a miserable failure," Wilshire told UPI. "We want to work with the government to develop an ideal diet that is low in carbs, low in trans fats, and full of nutrients."

An FDA spokeswoman, who asked not to be identified, said the agency still does not have an official definition for low-carb, but the topic has been raised often during the meetings of the Obesity Working Group, formed by FDA Commissioner Mark B. McClellan in August 2003.

In addition, the FDA has issued warnings to several food manufacturers, including Pure De-lite Products Inc. of Reno, Nev., and Morico Foods Inc. of Evansville, Ind., for unauthorized nutrient content claims related to claiming low-carb content on labels.

On Feb. 12, the FDA is scheduled to release a report from the Obesity Working Group, which the agency spokeswoman said might contain plans to label low-carb products.

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