CAES Newswire

 College of Agricultural & Environmental Sciences UGA Cooperative Extension
Menu
Published on 01/13/05

Kraft moves to ease temptation on kids' plates

Thanks to the increased focus on protecting children's health and preventing childhood obesity, commercial jingles like "O-R- E-O" and "Hey, Kool-aid" may be as distant a memory for today's kids as "You've come a long way, baby," is for their parents.

The federal government just released new dietary guidelines suggesting more fruits, vegetables, whole grains and exercise for kids. And one U.S. food company is moving to do their part to lessen poor eating habits in children.

Kraft Foods announced plans to curb advertising of Oreos, regular Kool-Aid and other popular snack foods to children under 12 as part of an effort to encourage better eating habits.

The company, the biggest U.S. food manufacturer, also said Wednesday it would begin labeling some healthier products with a flag touting their benefits.

The new marketing program comes as food companies are facing rising criticism from some consumer groups and others that they're contributing to obesity in children.

"We're working on ways to encourage both adults and children to eat wisely by selecting more nutritionally balanced diets," Kraft senior vice-president Lance Friedmann said in a statement.

Two years ago, Kraft moved to reduce the fat content in 200 products, cap portions for single-serve packaged snacks and quit marketing snacks at school.

As part of the new marketing program, a "Sensible Solution" label will appear on products high in nutrients such as fiber or calcium or those with low fat, sugar or sodium.

"I think this move may cause some people to choose these foods over other similar foods," Crawley said. "I hope it will make them look more closely at the nutrition label, but that may be too optimistic. It mainly will influence those who are already wanting to improve their health."

Kraft said it would quit advertising products that don't qualify for the label on cartoon shows and other shows viewed primarily by children ages 6 to 11. Among those ads to be pulled are plugs for Oreo cookies, regular Kool-Aid and some Lunchables lunch combinations.

"My only concern about this announcement is that it is really hard to decide what is a 'better food,'" Crawley said. "At least they're considering the foods that meet the federal guidelines for low fat, low sugar and low sodium.

"The rest," she said, "will depend on their own integrity. At least it's a step in the right direction. It's more than most companies are doing."

Complete information on the plan is on the Kraft Web site (http://www.kraft.com/newsroom/01122005.html).

Faith Peppers is the director of public affairs with the University of Georgia College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences.

Experts/Sources:
Constance C. Crawley
uga commencement CAES News
CAES to celebrate new graduates during May 9 convocation 04/18/24 Sameeka Prabath Rajamani
As another academic year draws to a close, the University of Georgia College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences is gearing up for its Athens campus convocation ceremony, which will be held at 6 p.m. on Thursday, May 9, at The Classic Center in Athens. “Each year, it’s an honor to celebrate the success of our CAES graduates,” said CAES Dean and Director Nick T. Place. “It’s amazing what these students accomplish during their time with us, and I’m always excited to commemorate this next step in their lives as they continue on to either further studies or the start of their careers.”
A student harvests red clover at UGArden. CAES News
UGA horticulture class shows students the science behind herbal remedies 04/16/24 Sameeka Prabath Rajamani
The field of medicine is ever-changing, and the use of herbal medicines may play a bigger role in health care as the value of natural remedies gain recognition in the Western world. Students at the University of Georgia’s College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences are delving into the field of medicinal remedies through the class “Herbs, Spices and Medicinal Plants.” Offered to undergraduate students through the Department of Horticulture, the class helps students develop a deeper understanding of the connection between nature and health.
Using robotics to help sort onions on Georgia farms CAES News
Using robotics to help sort onions on Georgia farms 04/15/24 David Mitchell
During the pandemic, labor problems became acute on many farms in Georgia and across the country. Farms once staffed by humans to bring produce from the field to stores for purchase were suddenly short-staffed, and the global supply chain was severely impacted. Working with UGA’s Vidalia Onion and Vegetable Research Center and A&M Farms in Lyons, Georgia, a team of researchers led by School of Computing Professor Prashant Doshi is designing collaborative robots to mitigate some of these potential challenges.
2024 honorees are William D. Branch, Georgia Seed Development Professor in Peanut Breeding and Genetics in the Department of Crop and Soil Sciences, and Elzie Argene Claxton, an agriculture educator and 1980 CAES agricultural education graduate who went on to earn a master’s degree in 1982 and education specialist degree in 1984 from UGA’s College of Education. CAES News
Innovator, educator inducted into the Georgia Agricultural Hall of Fame 04/11/24 Maria M. Lameiras
An innovator in peanut breeding whose research revitalized an industry and an ardent champion of agricultural education were inducted into the Georgia Agricultural Hall of Fame at the 68th University of Georgia College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences Alumni Association Awards in Athens. The 2024 honorees are William D. Branch, Georgia Seed Development Professor in Peanut Breeding and Genetics in the Department of Crop and Soil Sciences, and Elzie Argene Claxton, an agriculture educator and 1980 CAES agricultural education graduate.
Peach growers are looking forward to a fruitful season as the weather this winter and spring have been near-perfect for the sensitive crop. This year is projected to be a much-needed comeback from the disastrous season they experienced after a late freeze in March 2023 took out more than 90% of the state's crop. (Photo by Dorothy Kozlowski/UGA) CAES News
Growers hopeful 2024 peach season will rebound from disastrous 2023 04/10/24 Emily Cabrera
Last year, the peach industry lost $60 million due to the late freeze that hit much of the Southeast in mid-March 2023, said Jeff Cook, University of Georgia Cooperative Extension agent for Peach and Taylor counties. With no freezing temperatures in the forecast and hope for strong pricing during the upcoming season, peach growers are looking forward to a much-needed rebound year.
UGA wheat breeder and geneticist Mohamed Mergoum smells one of several test brews created by Creature Comforts on its annual Get Comfortable collaboration using a variety of wheat Mergoum developed at CAES. CAES News
Creature Comforts partners with UGA wheat breeder to create 2024 Get Comfortable brew 04/09/24 Maria M. Lameiras
Wheat breeders spend years meticulously crossing varieties to coax the best traits out of each species, carefully propagating plant varieties that are healthier, heartier and better suited for the environments where they are grown. Brewmasters are equally painstaking when choosing the components that will give their beers a specific flavor profile. These two exacting professions came together this spring when Athens-based Creature Comforts Brewing Co. reached out to the University of Georgia College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences to find a sustainable wheat variety they could use to make a good beer for a great cause.