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FDA Puts Bite in Blumenthal's Big Cereal Fight

The AG wants you to drop the Froot Loops, or at least know they're not great for you

By Joe Piraneo and LeAnne Gendreau

| Wednesday, Oct 21, 2009 | Updated 6:18 AM EST

FDA Puts Bite in Blumenthal's Big Cereal Fight

The FDA is joining Attorney General Richard Blumenthal in his quest to take on Big Cereal and keep the Quaker Oats man, Count Chocula and Toucan Sam trustworthy.

Blumenthal has taken issue with a program called "Smart Choices," which markets cereals with little green check marks that convey they are smart choices.

“My office is investigating the Smart Choices program to determine the research and reasoning behind a program that promotes fat-saturated mayonnaise and sugar-studded cereals as nutritional smart choices," he said.

Blumenthal’s also taking on mayonnaise, Lucky Charms and Quaker Oatmeal Squares and looking into whether the ‘Smart Choices’ campaign violates the state's consumer protection law, which bars misleading or false product claims.

“Big Food has been feeding big lies to consumers about nutritional value. Consumers can no longer stomach deceptive labels that contribute to our nation’s obesity endemic," Blumenthal said.

In a letter to execs at companies including Kellogg's, General Mills and PepsiCo, Blumenthal says the program, is "overly simplistic, inaccurate and ultimately misleading."

Executives of the "Smart Choices" program said they would cooperate with Blumenthal.

The FDA will be a powerful enforcement partner, Blumenthal said in a news release.

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