Labeling Controversy
In May 2009, The U.S. Food and Drug Administration sent a letter to General Mills indicating that in their view Cheerios was being sold as an unapproved new drug. This was in response to the labeling of the Cheerios box, which read in part:
• "You can Lower Your Cholesterol 4% in 6 weeks" " • "Did you know that in just 6 weeks Cheerios can reduce bad cholesterol by an average of 4 percent? Cheerios is ... clinically proven to lower cholesterol. A clinical study showed that eating two 1½ cup servings daily of Cheerios cereal reduced bad cholesterol when eaten as part of a diet low in saturated fat and cholesterol."
The FDA letter indicated that General Mills needed to either change the way it marketed Cheerios or apply for federal approval to sell Cheerios as a drug. General Mills responded with a statement that their claim of soluble fiber content had been approved by the FDA, and that the claims about lowering cholesterol had been featured on the box for two years.
Read more about this topic: Cheerios
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