Illegal labels claimed in FDA cafeteria

SILVER SPRING, Md., July 7 (UPI) -- A Washington non-profit said a lawyer discovered at least three products with illegal label claims at the Food and Drug Administration headquarters cafeteria.

The Center for Science in the Public Interest said a lawyer employed by the group made a visit to the new FDA building in Silver Spring, Md., and discovered at least three illegal labels hiding in plain sight at the headquarters of the agency tasked with policing food packaging.

The non-profit said Purity Organic Functional Drinks Pomegranate Blueberry bears a label claiming it contains "Ginkgo Biloba to enhance your memory and keep you thinking straight." However, government-funded studies have found ginkgo has no effect on memory or incidence of Alzheimer's or dementia.

The cafeteria was also selling Crystal Light Immunity Berry Pomegranate, a beverage picturing blueberries and pomegranate on its label, despite not containing any juice whatsoever, the CSPI said. The group said there is also no evidence to support the "immunity" claims on the bottle and officials urged the FDA to take action against the beverage makers in 2008.

Officials said the lawyer also discovered a bottle of SoBe Lifewater B-Energy Black Cherry Dragonfruit, which does not contain black cherry or dragonfruit juice. The label also claims its B vitamins "help your body unlock the energy in foods," but the vitamins do not cause any noticeable boost in energy. The CSPI said the label's claims of "all natural" are also false because the beverage contains added citric acid.

"The fact that we were able to find so many labeling problems in the FDA's own cafeteria neatly illustrates why the agency needs to issue industry-wide rules, not just send warning letters to individual companies," CSPI legal affairs director Bruce Silverglade said.