Drinks “No preservatives” propaganda spreads Experts that businesses are suspected of misleading consumers

The high temperature of more than 30 degrees of continuous days, driving frozen beverages. Recently, when reporters interviewed in the Guangzhou market, they found that many beverages did not add preservatives, colorings, or flavors as selling points, and promoted the packaging. In response, Yang Guanfeng, a food additive expert and senior engineer and president of the Guangdong Provincial Food and Culture Research Institute, pointed out: “This is demonizing food additives and intentionally misleading consumers and violating our “Advertising Law.” Not adding does not mean not containing, Moreover, food additives are added to the scope of use specified by the national standard and are safe to the human body."

Information Times reporter Huang Lijun

A variety of fruit juice herbal tea declared "no preservatives"

A few days ago, reporters saw in some large supermarkets in Guangzhou that publicizing on the packaging that there were no additives such as preservatives, colors, flavors, etc., were common in the beverage industry.

A beverage called "100% fruit juice in fruit language", in addition to the words "without sugar" on the front of the package, it was also marked in the side process instructions "without preservatives, no coloring, and maximum The limit retains the product's natural nutrient content and pure fruit flavor." Pepsi's pure fruit juice 100% orange juice also shows in the front of the package that they do not add sugar, no coloring, no preservatives; there are such practices Huiyuan 100% Orange juice, its selling point on the packaging is: do not add preservatives, juice more nutritious, more secure; coconut palm brand coconut in the use of yellow characters, to promote their own dare to promise no fragrance, preservatives and colors; Mineral Water specializes in colorants, sodium saccharin, and preservatives as selling points.

In terms of herbal tea, mainstream brands such as Wang Laoji, Pan Gaoshou, Baiyun Mountain, and 24 Taste all stated that they did not add preservatives.

Consumers are more willing to buy "not added" products

How much does this "don't add" propaganda for food businesses affect consumers? The reporter's investigation found that this kind of publicity of merchants has been recognized by many consumers, and the concept of “not adding” in the minds of consumers is equivalent to a healthier concept. A few days ago, the reporter conducted a random interview with some consumers in the beverage sales section of the Xindao West store. Of the 10 respondents, 8 consumers said that foods marked with “No XX added” are safer and will be given priority. Only two respondents said that they would not be too concerned about it. The reason for the two interviewees was that they did not eat these things regularly, and they did not have to worry about eating so much occasionally.

Taking preservatives as an example, the reporter asked a salesperson about the difference between preservative-containing and non-preservative-containing drinks. The salesperson said: “These professional things are not understood, but foods are certainly not containing preservatives. Well, it's best to see the packaging when you buy it.”

In addition, when the reporters carefully compared the ingredient list of foods under the banner of “not adding certain food additives”, it was found that some merchants avoided the use of food additives such as preservatives, colors, and flavors, but they also used a lot of them. Other food additives. For example, coconut coconut milk that does not add flavors, preservatives, and pigments is known, and its food additive contains emulsifiers; Baohe Water, which claims no colorants, sodium saccharin, and preservatives, has food additives that are used. There are citric acid, sodium citrate, sodium chloride, potassium chloride, malic acid, gluconic acid, sodium glutamate, calcium chloride, vitamin C and so on.

expert

Businessmen suspected of misleading consumers, illegal

For some food companies to promote their products without adding preservatives, colors or flavors, industry experts pointed out that this aspect is conducive to these food companies to participate in industry competition, but on the other hand misleading consumers.

Yang Guanfeng believes that, with the company's nominal “without preservatives” as an example, the label has caused consumers to fear the “preservatives” and prejudice the preservatives, causing consumers to dare to buy foods containing preservatives. .

Yang Daxing, member of the Guangdong Provincial Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference and Chairman of the Provincial Light Industry Association, once pointed out that the subtext behind “without” and “without” is “if it is added, it is insecure”, which leads consumers who lack common sense in food products to introduce misunderstandings. Similar products, to create their own selling point.

Yang Guanfeng also pointed out that the labeling of food businesses is illegal. First of all, Article 4(2) of the "General Standard for Food Labelling" stipulates that all contents of a food label cannot describe or introduce food in a wrong, misleading or deceptive manner. Second, it violates Article 4 and Article 12 of China's "Advertising Law." It states that advertisements must not deceive or mislead consumers, and must not belittle the goods or services of other producers or operators. Thirdly, Article 9 of the “Anti-Unfair Competition Law” in China stipulates that operators must not use advertisements or other methods to mislead falsehoods on the quality, production composition, performance, use, producers, expiration date, and place of production of commodities. Promotion.

No preservatives added, no preservatives

At present, the words “without preservatives” appear on the outer packaging of food products and gradually form a trend. Many consumers also believe that such foods are safer, and some even think that this is a newly introduced mandatory policy of the state and some consumption. The ones who choose to buy foods that contain no preservatives.

Yang Guanfeng believes that not adding preservatives does not mean that these drinks contain no preservatives, which is misleading to consumers. “There are more than 30 kinds of preservatives in use in China, and carbon dioxide is also one of them. Carbon dioxide is present in air and water bodies. Even if it is considered that no preservatives are added, carbon dioxide is also present in food.” According to Yang Guanfeng, there is no added preservation. Agents and no preservatives are two concepts. “The company’s testing method proves that it really does not add preservatives. This is the first problem. The second problem is that if foods are not added with preservatives for safety, then the addition of preservatives within the national safety limit is equally important. Food safety has no impact, and there is no difference between the two in terms of safety.” Yang Guanfeng believes that this is a concept of hype.

It is understood that at present, China's most used, most familiar with the preservatives are "benzoic acid, sodium benzoate, sorbic acid, potassium sorbate" four. The basic function of food preservatives is to inhibit the growth of microorganisms and toxins produced by some microorganisms to ensure food safety.

For those businesses that do not add preservatives, there is an industry insider who tells reporters whether there is a need to add preservatives in foods and the moisture, sugar, salt, etc. in foods. For example, instant noodles contain little water, and long-term preservation does not require the addition of preservatives. If manufacturers do publicity in this area, it is actually misleading.

No coloring, no coloring

At present, many food businesses have put a "no coloring" banner on their product packaging. Many people, when they see slogans such as "no artificial colors" or "no coloring," on food packaging, are usually reassured that they do not add pigment and are harmless. In this regard, Yang Guanfeng pointed out that colored things contain pigments, such as oranges, oranges, etc. all naturally contain pigments.

According to reports, pigments are divided into two categories, one is a natural pigment and the other is a synthetic pigment.

The former is naturally extracted, and currently there are dozens of natural pigments that are allowed to be used in food materials, such as β-carotene. Adding these natural pigments in foods is better, but the cost is higher. The latter is artificially synthesized in the absence of nature, and is currently used in about 10 kinds of food, such as carmine, lemon yellow, bright blue, etc. This part of the pigment is relatively cheaper.

“However, this does not mean that synthetic pigments are not safe. The synthetic pigments that are allowed in the current national food additive standards are toxicological toxicity tests. As long as companies add in the national limited safety range, they have no impact on human health.” Yang Guanfeng Say.

Without hormones is misguided "nonsense"

Recently, ads for grape-sweet drinks have appeared frequently on the Guangzhou Metro TV. In addition to setting a number of scenes suitable for people to drink grapes and charging their bodies, an ad slogan is added at the end of each advertisement. “There is no added hormone. ".

It is understood that the public usually talk about hormone discoloration, because hormones can cause children to become precocious and have side effects on adults. “A company that makes such promotions is easy for consumers to make associations: if you don’t add, does it mean someone added and the law enforcement department didn’t check it out? Who else added it.” Yang Guanfeng told reporters, in fact, that any regular food in production No hormones are allowed.

Relevant report experts call for legislative regulations to no avail

In 2006, more than 20 food companies such as Heinz, Swire Coca-Cola and Guangzhou Restaurant Li Koufu had signed the “Guangdong Food Industry Safety and Self-discipline Convention” and promised to correctly guide scientific consumption. They did not mark “preservative-free” or “preservative-free” on the product. Does not contain any additives, etc. However, to this day, there are more and more food companies that use the label “Do not add XX” as a selling point. In this regard, Yang Junfeng, a food additive expert, said that in the past few years he had already proposed that the government should not allow companies to make such a mark, but it has not been adopted.

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