Functional ingredients industry chatter 117

Don't just say it
"Studies show that around 70 per cent of consumers claim to be paying attention to what companies are doing to be a better corporate citizen, and that 75 per cent believe that some portion of companies are green-washing their efforts. The key take-away here is to be transparent and walk your talk."

— Jeff Hilton, cofounder, Integrated Marketing Group

A sweetener is a sweetener
"The irony is that white table sugar — formerly a leading target of 'eat less' messages — suddenly has a health aura. Marketers have wasted no time moving in to use that aura to sell the same old products."

— Marion Nestle, food-industry critic, on companies beginning to tout new sugar-based products as 'natural' alternatives to high-fructose corn syrup

Sin taxes ahead?
"Are you pouring on the pounds? Don't drink yourself fat."

— New York City health department's new anti-sugary-drink ad campaign

Elephants, anyone?
"The American way of eating has become the elephant in the room in the debate over health care."

— Bestselling suthor and professor of journalism Michael Pollan in a September 10 New York Times op-ed piece