More consumers seek out products with ‘natural’ label, whatever it means

According to Consumer Reports, more than 62 percent of Americans buy products labelled “natural,” which is not backed by regulation. The survey​ was conducted in December 2015, and asked 1,005 adults in the U.S.

During an interview with CBS News​, Urvashi Rangan, director of Consumer Safety and Sustainability at Consumer Reports said “they think it means no artificial ingredients or colors, no GMOs, for example, no pesticides for meat, they think it means no drugs—and it doesn’t mean any of those things.” ​

In their web magazine, Consumer Reports Senior Editor Andrea Rock wrote​ that the organization believes “verification should be required to ensure that foods labeled “natural” truly meet that definition,”​ but some in the food industry, such as the Grocery Manufacturers Association, think the FDA “should continue to allow the natural label to be used on products containing GMOs.”​

Consumer Reports started a petition that has garnered the FDA’s attention. Right now, the FDA is seeking public comment​ on the issue, extending it until May 10, 2016.

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