September 27/Washington/States News Service -- Ben and Jerry's has agreed to phase out its use of "All Natural" claims on labels on ice creams and frozen yogurts that contain alkalized cocoa, corn syrup, partially hydrogenated soybean oil, or other ingredients that "are not natural." The move amicably resolves a dispute arising from a letter that the Center for Science in the Public Interest sent last month to Ben and Jerry's parent company, Unilever. The letter said that at least 48 products were improperly labeled.
"Ben and Jerry's is doing the right thing by taking the phrase 'all natural' off its labels if the products have factory-made ingredients," said CSPI executive director Michael F. Jacobson. "The Food and Drug Administration could do consumers and food manufacturers a great service by actually defining when the word 'natural' can and cannot be used to characterize a given ingredient."