WASHINGTON €" The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) announced earlier this week that it will begin cracking down on baby food manufacturers and other companies for misleading nutrition labeling, an effort that many expect to lead to a stricter set of labeling standards, the Associated Press reports. It also said that it would soon propose revised guidelines for calorie and nutrient labeling on food packages.
The FDA sent warning letters to 17 food companies for violations that include unauthorized health claims, nutrient contents, and terms such as "healthy."
In particular, the FDA criticized Nestle for making health claims on Gerber baby carrots and Gerber Graduates puffs because "appropriate dietary levels have not been established for children in this age range." Puffs containers claim that the product is a "good source of iron, zinc, and Vitamin E."
Other companies that produce baby food, including Beech-nut, First Juice, Inc., Want Want Foods, and PBM Products, also received written rebukes from the FDA.
Companies have 15 days to respond to the FDA and inform them of the steps that they will take to revise the labels.