Tropicana Non GMO Label Just a Marketing Gimmick (Part 2)
Yesterday we focused on the irony of PepsiCo’s anti-GMO labeling stance, in relation to the new Non-GMO Verified label their Tropicana OJ will be sporting in 2016. Now, as Paul Harvey used to say, let’s cover “the rest of the story…”
Yes, it’s ironic that Tropicana orange juice, which can’t be GMO anyway since it’s made with oranges (which are ALL non-GMO),is about to sport a Non-GMO Project Verified label, but another layer to this story is just how far away from fresh-squeezed Tropicana orange juice truly is.
Non-GMO Verified with a false advertising lawsuit? Video still from here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0xyNNlU4ct8
As noted in a federal class action lawsuit curently underway —
The suit claims that instead of being all natural, Tropicana heavily processes its juice by deaeration, pasteurization, and addition of chemically engineered flavor packs and coloring. Tropicana holds numerous patents that concern the manipulation and chemical deconstruction of orange peels, a waste by-product of orange juicing, into colorants, flavoring and even “peel juice.” The processing helps extend the orange juice’s shelf life and maintain the consistency in color and taste of the juice.
The lawsuit also references the long storage times for juice, before it’s processed and packaged for consumers. In light of this situation, it’s borderline suspect for the Non-GMO Project to even consider putting a label on Tropicana orange juice, and at some point people may start to question whether or not the Non-GMO Project is applying solid standards to its own work. We’ll keep an eye on this into 2016…
To read Part 1 of our Tropicana Non GMO article, click here.
For more on the class action lawsuit, visit:
http://www.classactionsnews.com/consumer/tropicana-all-natural-false-advertising-class-action-lawsuit
And to watch the “Tropicana Pure Premium Puts the ‘Good’ In Morning” promotional video on YouTube (which will be interesting considering the false advertising lawsuit), click here.
