CFBAI newsletter
                                                   
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Volume 3 Issue 2                                                              September 2011

In This Issue
Initiative News
Pledge Update Highlights
Participant News
Events and Publications

Featured Article

The CFBAI released its new Category-Specific Uniform Nutrition Criteria on July 14, 2011. Learn More  


Contact Us 

The CFBAI welcomes questions or comments about the Initiative. Inquiries can be sent to

[email protected]


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March 2011

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November 1, 2010

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February 10, 2009

Vol. 1 Issue 1    

Editor's Note 

The spring and summer were busy seasons for the CFBAI. We completed an intensive nutrition science review with our participants that culminated in new, Category-Specific Uniform Nutrition Criteria that will replace company-specific criteria as of December 31, 2013. The new criteria represent the latest in a series of significant program developments since CFBAI was created in November 2006. Since that time the program's already rigorous and far-reaching requirements have been substantially expanded, the definition of "child-directed" advertising has been harmonized to a large extent and the number of program participants has grown to 17 from 10. We included the new nutrition criteria as a part of the comprehensive comment that we filed with the Interagency Working Group in July.

 

Since our last issue in March, our participants have added new products to the CFBAI list (and dropped others). Most of the new or reformulated products include whole grains, fruits or nutrients of public health concern such as calcium and vitamin D. Read about these products in Pledge Update Highlights.  

Elaine D. Kolish, Vice President, Children's Food and Beverage Advertising Initiative

 

Initiative News

New Category-Specific Uniform Nutrition Criteria

On July 14, 2011 the CFBAI released Uniform Nutrition Criteria for 10 product categories representing the products currently advertised to children and those that might be advertised in the future.These criteria are the result of a more than year-long effort to further strengthen voluntary efforts to change child-directed food advertising. The new uniform nutrition criteria are stronger than the current company-specific criteria with approximately one-third of the products currently advertised to children that already meet science-based company-specific nutrition standards not meeting the new criteria.

 

The CFBAI's uniform nutrition criteria:

  1. Include rigorous nutrients to limit (NTL) criteria for saturated fat, trans fat, sodium and total sugars for all categories.
  2. Include meaningful nutrition components to encourage (NCTE) (food groups and/or nutrients) for all product categories.
  3. Include calorie limits for all categories.   
  4. Eliminate a product qualifying solely on a "reduced" claim (i.e., ≥ 25% less sodium). 
  5. Eliminate a product qualifying solely because it is packaged in a portion controlled, 100-calorie pack.

Currently, not every participant has a standard for calories, all of the NTL and NCTE, so the new criteria fill those gaps.

 

These criteria also are even more transparent and easier to understand and apply than the current standards. Thus, they can more easily serve as a roadmap for child-directed advertising practices for other U.S. food (or media) companies, and simplify compliance monitoring for the CFBAI and other interested parties. For example, they are based on the labeled serving size, which appears on the required Nutrition Facts Panel (NFP) on products, and the NFP can serve as a reference, for virtually all products, on whether key criteria have been met.

 

Additionally, the CFBAI participants have agreed to a challenging implementation date of December 31, 2013. After that date, these new criteria will require CFBAI participants to stop advertising products to children that do not meet the uniform criteria. 

 

The CFBAI released a comprehensive White Paper along with the new criteria explaining their foundation.

 

Comment to the IWG 

In July the CFBAI submitted an extensive comment in response to the Interagency Working Group's (IWG) request for comments on its Preliminary Proposed Nutrition Principles to Guide Industry Self-Regulatory Efforts. The CFBAI's comment described concerns about the IWG's proposed nutrition principles and advertising definitions. Specifically, the IWG's goals for nutrients to limit and for food groups to include exceed what reasonably can be accomplished within five years, and the longer term goals present even greater problems. Additionally, the CFBAI comment advised that it was inappropriate to use definitions of child-directed advertising that sweep in advertising and promotional activities that clearly are not child-directed and encompass advertising to adolescents. Our comment explained how the CFBAI's own Category-Specific Uniform Nutrition Criteria provide a rigorous and realistic roadmap to further strengthen self-regulatory efforts.

 

Updated Product List and Nutrition Table

The CFBAI has posted to its website a product list reflecting the participants' addition of new products (many highlighted below), and the deletion of others. An updated nutrition table, showing the current company-specific criteria, also has been posted.

 

New Faces

In April 2011 the CFBAI welcomed two new members to its team, Program Manager, Magda Hernandez, and Administrative Program Coordinator, Kelley Blanchard.

Pledge Update Highlights pledge

Campbell Soup Company 

Campbell added a new flavor of Goldfish crackers to its approved product list, which now includes 14 Goldfish snacks. Chocolate Chip Grahams contain more than 50% whole grain flour, providing 6 grams of whole grains per serving. Campbell also is the first participant to begin using the new uniform criteria. Three Goldfish Sandwich Breads that meet the criteria in Category Three of the uniform criteria have been added to the CFBAI product list. Each variety is a good source (10% Daily Value or DV) of iron, vitamin D and fiber. The whole wheat and honey whole wheat varieties also provide 18 grams of whole grains per serving.   

 

ConAgra Foods, Inc. 

ConAgra Foods added two varieties of Peter Pan Peanut Butter Spread 100% Natural and Kid Cuisine Kickin' Ravioli to its approved product list. The Kid Cuisine Kickin' Ravioli provides 12 grams of whole grains per serving, is an excellent source ( 20% DV) of fiber and vitamin C and a good source of vitamin A and calcium.

 

General Mills, Inc.

General Mills added Frosted Toast Crunch to its approved product list. Frosted Toast Crunch contains 9 grams of sugars and 11 grams of whole grains. The product also is an excellent source of iron and a good source of vitamin A, vitamin C and calcium. 

 

Kraft Foods Global, Inc.

Kraft Foods added five new varieties of Lunchables products to its approved product list, including all four varieties of its new Lunchables with fruit line, which provide a full serving of fruit. These varieties also contain at least 5 grams of whole grains. The fifth product, Lunchables Basic Subs - Turkey and Cheddar Sub with Treat, is made with 100% white turkey breast meat, contains 8 grams of whole grains and is a good source of vitamin C, calcium and iron. Kraft Foods also added to its approved product list Kraft/Polly-O 2% Reduced Fat Mozzarella and Cheddar Cheese Twists, a 50 calorie snack providing a good source of calcium.

 

PepsiCo, Inc.    

PepsiCo added four Quaker Chewy Granola bars to its approved product list. These bars contain 10 grams of whole grains, only 6 grams of sugars and are a good source of calcium. PepsiCo also added all three varieties of its new Tropicana Tropolis product line. These snacks contain at least a � serving of fruit and no added sugars. They are a good source of fiber and provide 100% of the Daily Value of vitamin C. In addition, PepsiCo added three oatmeal varieties to its product list: Quaker Instant Oatmeal - Original Flavor, Quaker Old Fashioned Oats, and Quaker Quick Oats. All are 100% whole grain and have one or zero grams of sugar per serving.

 

Post Foods, LLC.  

Post Foods added two cereals, the limited edition The Smurfs Cereal and Pebbles Boulders, to its approved product list. Both are an excellent source of vitamin D and a good source of vitamin A and iron as well as other essential nutrients. The Smurfs cereal has 9 grams of sugars per serving. The Pebbles Boulders cereal, consisting of 51% whole grains, provides 16 grams of whole grains and has only 8 grams of sugars per serving.

 

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Participant News 

Kraft Foods announced in August 2011 that the company plans to split the global snacks business and the North American grocery business into two publicly traded companies by the end of 2012.

 

McDonalds USA announced in July 2011 that by the first quarter of 2012, Happy Meals nationwide automatically will include Apple Slices (� cup or � serving) and a new smaller size of French Fries (1.1 ounces) as side dishes along with a customer-selected entr�e and beverage. If customers prefer apples only, two bags of apples will be available upon request. Now the beverage choices also will include fat-free chocolate milk as well as low-fat white milk. By adding fruit in every Happy Meal, McDonald's will help parents help their children in meeting the recommended daily consumption of produce. The changes are estimated to reduce calories in the most popular Happy Meals by 20%.

 

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Events and Publications 

Magda Hernandez, CFBAI Program Manager, spoke on a panel at the May 18, 2011 Children's Advertising and Online Privacy Summit hosted by the Children's Advertising Review Unit (CARU) in Universal City, California.

 

Elaine Kolish, Vice President, participated on a June 9, 2011 panel discussion titled "Media Literacy and Food Marketing" at the Eat Well, Live Well, Let's Move 2011 National Conference; Building a Healthier Chicago.  

 

Kolish participated in a panel on "Changing the Food Environment: What Are We Doing to Implement the 2010 Dietary Guidelines for Americans?" at the Institute of Food Technologists Annual Meeting and Food Exposition in New Orleans on June 13, 2011.

 

Kolish responded to questions from the Washington Legal Foundation's Legal Pulse about food marketing to children and self regulation on Sept. 15, 2011. Read about it here.

 

Kolish will be speaking on "Self Regulation and Responsible Food Marketing to Children" at CARU's Annual Conference on October 5, 2011. Registration information for the conference is available here

 

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