Sunday, May. 02, 2010
Choices Program
What It Is: A voluntary system in the Netherlands developed by the food industry and endorsed by the Dutch government. Products that earn a Healthy Choice label have limited amounts of fats, sugar and sodium.
Pros: Different symbols distinguish natural and processed foods, and the system does not take into account fortification, so producers "can't increase their rating by just adding vitamins and minerals to the food," says Jacob Seidell, the program's chief.
Cons: There are relatively few studies of consumer use that test the efficacy of the system.