Got Diet Milk? Dairy Industry Petition to FDA Sparks Consumer Outrage

The International Dairy Foods Association (IDFA) and the National Milk Producers Federation have petitioned the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to drop its requirement that dairy products containing artificial sweeteners, such as aspartame, are prominently labeled for consumers.

Aspartame is a main ingredient in reduced-calorie foods like diet soda and sugar-free chewing gum. Although manufacturers of aspartame continue to assure the public that the ingredient is safe and aids in weight loss, several independent studies link the ingredient to an alarming number of scary side effects, including weight gain and increased blood sugar, headaches, degeneration of nerve cells and cancer.

The dairy industry wants to add aspartame and other artificial sweeteners to flavored milks and other products without labeling the bottle in an attempt to lure children to selecting those drinks at school. If this petition passes, it would mean that any time you reach for a jug labeled “milk,” that milk could include dangerous artificial sweeteners but you wouldn’t know for sure until you read the ingredient list in depth. This isn’t just an inconvenience for adult shoppers, but an irresponsible and dangerous decision that would directly affect underprivileged children, who depend on school lunches for the bulk of their nutrition.

The FDA has opened the topic up to public discussion, and is accepting comments online until May 21, 2013. Submit your opinion to the FDA here: http://www.fda.gov/ForConsumers/ConsumerUpdates/ucm347194.htm

Listen to an in-depth podcast on this controversial issue here: http://hartkeisonline.com/2013/04/10/got-disgust-aspartame-in-dairy-products-with-no-warning-label/