First Juice, Inc., Maker of Organic Fruit and Vegetable Juice Beverages for Young Children, Responds to FDA Letter About Labeling

RANDOLPH, N.J., March 9 /PRNewswire/ --

Issue:  First Juice, Inc. is among 17 food and beverage companies to receive a letter from the FDA requesting changes on product packaging.  The First Juice® claims of "50% less sugar" and "Excellent source of Vitamins A & C" are currently not permitted on products intended for children under age two.  The veracity of the claims is not being challenged; rather, current regulations disallow claims other than a percentage of the Recommended Daily Intake of key vitamins on products for children under two.

First Juice Response:  David Glasser, First Juice Founder and CEO, says, "We intend to cooperate with the FDA and will formally request a review of the regulations that prohibit us from stating '50% less sugar' on our labels.  Specifically, we believe that sugar is not a 'nutrient' and should be permitted as an exception from regulations governing 'nutrient' claims.  Permitting label claims such as '50% less sugar' on beverages for children under age two clearly serves the best interests of parents and their children."  

It is well known that the nutritional needs of the very young are different than those of adults.  While sugar is a caloric, energy-yielding carbohydrate, calories and carbohydrates come in all forms and can be sufficiently supplied in children's diets without excess simple sugars that can prime taste buds to seek more calories. "At First Juice, we listen to moms and our research shows that approximately 70% of parents 'modify' full (single-) strength juices by blending with water, and that 97% are concerned about their children's intake of sugar.  Science also supports both practices."  

Glasser believes that current regulations should be updated to allow innovative new beverages to accurately convey their lower-sugar nutrition profile to parents.

First Juice Mission:  Supporting the nationwide effort to curb childhood obesity, First Juice is committed to helping parents steer their children towards healthy, colorful fruits and vegetables while curbing a craving for sugar and sweet. Toddlers develop taste preferences early on. First Juice will continue to offer juice beverages with significantly less sugar, and distinctively flavorful yet not excessively sweet tastes, to help children avoid an all-too-common sugar craving that can contribute to serious health issues later in life.

Background:  There is heightened focus on the global health epidemic of childhood obesity, and increased motivation on the part of healthcare providers, researchers, government and consumers to act to combat childhood obesity, which has shown to contribute to increased incidence of diabetes, heart disease and other medical problems.

The consumption of high-in-sugar, sweet-tasting, low-nutrient-dense foods and beverages can contribute to excess weight. Science shows that the taste for sweets can be affected in early childhood and early food and beverage choices can have a long-lasting impact on dietary behaviors and outcomes.

About First Juice:  Introduced in 2008, First Juice® Brand is the nation's first organic, lower-sugar, fruit and vegetable juice for young children.  First Juice offers blends of organic fruit and vegetable juices selected to be flavorful and to achieve low-per-ounce sugar content without tasting excessively sweet. The labeled sugar amount refers only to what is found naturally in fruit juice. First Juice does not contain added sugars, including corn syrup, high-fructose corn syrup nor artificial sweeteners.

The First Juice® Brand has been recognized numerous times for outstanding taste, packaging and design, including Winner of BevNet's Best Kids' Drink in 2009 and 'Finalist' at FoodBev.com's Beverage Innovations Awards for both Best Health Initiative and Best New Children's Drink. First Juice is also the only juice ever to win the Parent Tested-Parent Approved Award, which it won in 2008.

First Juice is an entrepreneurial, socially responsible company that believes delivering great tasting lower-sugar juice beverages for parents and children is good business.

Request for Interview: David Glasser is available to speak to the media about the need for updated and relevant FDA beverage labeling regulations, the First Juice Brand nutrition profile and the role of the company in helping parents encourage healthy food taste preference development.  

Please contact Marcie Klein, Pollock Communications, for more information or to schedule an interview.  [email protected]  (212) 941-1414.

SOURCE First Juice, Inc.