Fruit drinks lack fruit content, finds UK study
Fruit content of many fruit-flavoured drinks and snacks sold all over the UK is either minimal or non-existent.
By PTI |
LONDON: Fruit content of many fruit-flavoured drinks and snacks sold all over the UK is either minimal or non-existent, a survey indicated on Monday.
The survey of strawberry flavoured drinks, yoghurts, jelly and other snacks found that fewer than 40 per cent contained any real fruit. Of the 28 products examined by the campaign group, the Food Commission, only 11 contained real strawberries.
Five of these - Jordans Frusli All Fruit Strawberry bars, Jubbly Strawberry ice lollies, Asda Great Stuff Strawberry Milk and strawberry teabags produced by Sainsbury's and Tesco - contained less than one per cent real strawberries, a report in The Daily Telegraph said today.
There are about 2,700 flavourings that can be added to food, but manufacturers are not required to state on packaging which flavourings have been used and whether they are natural or artificial.
The commission said manufacturers should have to list all the flavourings used. Its spokesman, Ian Tokelove, said that while the study had focused on strawberry favoured products, the findings applied to other fruit-flavoured foodstuffs and drinks.
"Describing a product as strawberry flavour and plastering the packet with pictures of strawberries, when that product contains just a tiny percentage of strawberry or even no real fruit at all, is misleading and deceptive," he said.
"Unfortunately it is also legal and widespread." He said "shoppers need to check the small print in the ingredients if they want to know whether they actually contain any fruit, because the actual content can be non-existent."
The survey of strawberry flavoured drinks, yoghurts, jelly and other snacks found that fewer than 40 per cent contained any real fruit. Of the 28 products examined by the campaign group, the Food Commission, only 11 contained real strawberries.
Five of these - Jordans Frusli All Fruit Strawberry bars, Jubbly Strawberry ice lollies, Asda Great Stuff Strawberry Milk and strawberry teabags produced by Sainsbury's and Tesco - contained less than one per cent real strawberries, a report in The Daily Telegraph said today.
There are about 2,700 flavourings that can be added to food, but manufacturers are not required to state on packaging which flavourings have been used and whether they are natural or artificial.
The commission said manufacturers should have to list all the flavourings used. Its spokesman, Ian Tokelove, said that while the study had focused on strawberry favoured products, the findings applied to other fruit-flavoured foodstuffs and drinks.
"Describing a product as strawberry flavour and plastering the packet with pictures of strawberries, when that product contains just a tiny percentage of strawberry or even no real fruit at all, is misleading and deceptive," he said.
ADVERTISEMENT
"Unfortunately it is also legal and widespread." He said "shoppers need to check the small print in the ingredients if they want to know whether they actually contain any fruit, because the actual content can be non-existent."
Download
The Economic Times Business News App for the Latest News in Business, Sensex, Stock Market Updates & More.
The Economic Times Business News App for the Latest News in Business, Sensex, Stock Market Updates & More.
Download
The Economic Times News App for Quarterly Results, Latest News in ITR, Business, Share Market, Live Sensex News & More.
The Economic Times News App for Quarterly Results, Latest News in ITR, Business, Share Market, Live Sensex News & More.
ADVERTISEMENT
