Family and Consumer Sciences

Newsletter - Summer 2006

Are Labels Misleading? What do they Really Mean?

“Hormone Free” on chicken  The U.S. Department of Agriculture regulations don’t allow poultry growers to give chickens hormones or steroids.  However, to increase grown rate, some farmers give chickens antibiotics every day which makes them grow faster!

“Juice” drinks  Read the label –  if a product says  “beverage,”  “drink,” or  “punch,” it is not 100 percent juice.  It probably contains water, sweeteners and some pear juice.

“Natural”  What does it really mean?  The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) does not have an official definition of “natural.”  The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) regulates the term “natural” only in meat and poultry products.  If mean and poultry products have the word  “natural” on the package, then they cannot contain any artificial colors or additives.

“Organic”  The USDA defines “organic” as products that do not contain pesticides or fertilizers and follow the strict National Organic Standards mandated by Congress in 2002.

If a seafood product contains the word  “organic”  it does not mean anything – because USDA has not decided what organic means when applied to seafood.

“SPF (Sun Protection Factor) 30  “ Sunscreen.”  The 30 means the product provides 30 times your natural sun protection, giving you a false sense of security.  It is only telling you that it is blocking the sun’s UVB rays, but it doesn’t block the sun’s UVA rays – the ones that go deeper into the skin and cause premature aging.  Look for  “titanium dioxide,’  ‘zinc oxide,’ or  ‘avobenzone,”  they provide UVA protection.  There is no standard for UVA protection. 

Source:  “When Grocery Shopping, Read the Fine Print,”  May 15, 2006; Sunscreen Makers Lie, Suits Charge”

Consumer Alert: 
Internet Can Lead to Unintended Telephone Charges

Be aware that activities such as downloading recipes or taking surveys could lead to unintended charges on monthly telephone bills.  To protect against these charges, read the fine print and find out all the details.

Consumers throughout the country have noticed charges appearing on their monthly telephone bills that may be the result of internet activity.  Some of the charges could stem from providing their telephone numbers and other information on a website.

Getting Ready for Back-to-School

Don’t wait until the last minute to shed the summer schedule.  Children need the structure of established routine.  Parents can include children in the planning and development of a back-to-school plan.

Today, purchase an erasable monthly calendar and dry erase markers and create a calendar of extracurricular activities and school activities.  Talk about and decide weeknight bedtimes.  Remember to allow 20 minutes for a shower or bath and at least 15 minutes for reading.  Discuss and decide homework times, and find out the policy for homework.  Pick a place for homework to be done, it should be the same quiet place every night, away from television or center of family activity.

One week before school starts begin the new bedtime routine, shop for school supplies.  The night before school starts spend time with your child, place backpacks by the door and focus on the fun they’ll have.

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