Kind Bars To Adjust Labeling After Complaint By FDA
NEW YORK (CBSNewYork) -- The makers of Kind bars said Tuesday that they will be adjusting the labeling language with their products, after complaints from the Food and Drug Administration that the bars are mislabeled as being healthy.
The FDA last month sent a warning letter to New York-based Kind, claiming that four specific bars were labeled in violation of the U.S. Food, Drug and Cosmetic Act. They included Kind's Fruit & Nut Almond & Apricot, Fruit & Nut Almond & Coconut, Plus Peanut Butter Dark Chocolate + Protein, and Fruit & Nut Dark Chocolate Cherry Cashew+ Antioxidants bars.
The FDA said the bars claim to be "healthy," but none of them have the maximum saturated fat content of 1 gram or less that allows for such a claim. Fruit & Nut and Almond & Coconut bars contain 5 grams of fat, the FDA said.
The FDA also challenged claims about fiber, low and very low sodium, trans fats, and antioxidants.
In response, Kind said labeling adjustments will be made to all four bars. But the company did emphasize that its products are still healthy – regardless of the semantic requirements of the FDA.
"Nuts, key ingredients in many of our snacks and one of the things that make fans love our bars, contain nutritious fats that exceed the amount allowed under the FDA's standard. This is similar to other foods that do not meet the standard for use of the term healthy, but are generally considered to be good for you like avocados, salmon and eggs," the company said.
Kind also said the recipes for the bars will stay the same.