Loophole labeling We're not as stupid as food manufacturers think we are. We figured out awhile ago that most of the preservatives they're putting into their products aren't good for us. And enough of us stopped buying them that it's sending a wave of panic through the food industry. How else do you explain that they're resorting to out-and-out trickery to get us to buy their wares? OK, perhaps trickery is a tad harsh. But they are manipulating the facts in order to swing public opinion -- and purchase power -- back in their favor. You've probably noticed more and more products claiming to be a "good source of whole grains." But just because that box of Lucky Charms might technically contain "whole grains" doesn't make it good for you. But it gets worse. The latest example of this sort of "loophole labeling" is happening with processed meats -- things like hot dogs, smoked sausages, lunchmeats, bacon, etc. Now that word has gotten out that the primary preservative used in these products, sodium nitrite, can significantly increase cancer risk (as much as 67 percent in the case of pancreatic cancer), consumers are buying fewer of these meats than ever before. So manufacturers have come out with new versions bearing "Nitrite-free" and "Naturally cured" claims on their labels. Seems like a positive response to consumer concerns. But it turns out those claims aren't altogether true. According to food industry expert Gerhard Feiner, many of these products have been cured, or preserved, using materials that contain so-called "natural nitrates" derived from sources like celery or cane sugar juice. On their own, these materials wouldn't be a problem. But what Feiner suspects happens next IS: He believes some manufacturers are adding these natural nitrates to their meat products along with strains of bacteria that transform the harmless nitrates into the potentially dangerous nitrites that consumers are shying away from. Why would they do this, you might wonder? Well, this process benefits the manufacturers in two equally disturbing ways. First, since they didn't technically add nitrite itself to the meat, they don't need to list it among the ingredients as a preservative, which makes the product's label more appealing to consumers. Second, they still get the desired effects of the nitrite -- primarily the nice pinkish-red color that we associate with healthy meat vs. the unappetizing grey these products would actually be without it. But while the manufacturers are getting their desired effects, we're still getting the undesired ones. The only difference is we're no longer aware of it. Unfortunately, there's no way to know which companies are employing these underhanded tactics. So your best bet is to stay away from these types of processed meats altogether and opt instead for meats from organically raised, free-range animals. But if you do decide to try one of the "naturally cured" products, at the very least you should hedge your bets by taking extra quantities of vitamins C and E, which block the damaging effects of nitrites in your body. Sources:
"Nitrite-free: Where does the truth end?" NutraIngredients (www.nutraingredients.com), 7/31/07
"The real reason why processed meats are so dangerous to your health," NewsTarget (www.newstarget.com), 8/21/05
"Dictionary of Cancer Terms: N-butyl-N-(4-hydroxybutyl) nitrosamine," The National Cancer Institute (www.cancer.gov), accessed 8/9/07 | 
