Show Food Standards Standal ds The Food and Drug Administration Administration Administration Admin Admin- announced this month it would set up nutritional guidelines for processed foods ranging from breakfast cereals cereals cereals cere cere- als to frozen dinners THE PROGRAM is not of ofa a crash nature and the N National National Na Na- a- a Academy of Sciences and National Research Council Council Council Coun Coun- cil will determine what foods require minimum and maximum maximum maximum maxi maxi- mum nutrient standards The FDA doesn't have authority authority authority au au- au- au to require food processors processors pro pro- censors to follow guidelines but administration spokesmen believe most manufacturers will automatically follow them because they're obviously in inthe inthe inthe the public interest and because because because be be- cause manufacturers will want to advertise that their products products prod prod- meet FDA standards THE FDA announcement is welcome news long over over- due It is especially ironical that in the country with the highest average individual income income income in in- come not necessarily living standard there is widespread malnutrition and sometimes hunger Even the educated American Ameri Amen can often finds it difficult in many areas to buy nutritional nutritional nutritional nu nu- nu- nu foods because of the widespread American practice of packaging foodstuffs without without without with with- out a date on the container plus the widespread use of art artificial flavors colors fresheners fresheners fresheners fresh fresh- eners softeners in the case of bread etc TOO MANY of us have too long been eating chemicals mixed with stale food If the FDA will follow this step with one more to require dates on packaged foods it will be meeting its responsibility responsibility responsibility to the American people in this important field |