Salt Sugar Fat

by Michael Moss

  334 consumer’s view was voiced This and other comments submitted on the dietary guidelines are available through a database created by the USDA, which can be found at the Center for Nutrition Policy and Promotion’s website.

  335 “I am concerned” Transcript, Conference Report on the Food Security Act of 1985, U.S. Senate, December 18, 1985.

  336 It created two marketing programs “Federally Authorized Commodity Research and Promotion Programs,” U.S. General Accounting Office (now called the U.S. Government Accountability Office), December 1993; “Federal Farm Promotion (‘Check-Off’) Programs,” Congressional Research Service, October 20, 2008; “Understanding Your Beef Checkoff Program,” Cattlemen’s Beef Board.

  337 yearly consumption of red meat Carrie Daniel et al., “Trends in Meat Consumption in the United States,” Public Health Nutrition 14, no. 4 (2011): 575–583. Consumer worries about fat are cited as a reason for decreased consumption in the beef-industry supported study “U.S. Beef Demand Drivers and Enhancement Opportunities,” Kansas State University Agricultural Experiment Station and Cooperative Extension Service, June 2009.

  338 “I thought it was a dumb idea” Mark Thomas to author.

  339 “We’ve done a lot of research” Steve Wald, director of new product development, National Cattlemen’s Beef Association, in video released by the association, January 8, 2008.

  340 promote more fast food sales For a summary of some of these product innovations, see “Cattlemen’s Beef Board Introduces New Staff, Snack,” Cattlemen’s Beef Board, February 25, 2008.

  341 Twenty-nine cuts of beef At my request, the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association examined national retail data and found that while a mere 20% of ground beef being sold was lean or leaner, two-thirds of the whole muscle cuts sold in 2012 were of the lean variety.

  342 Worries have arisen “Background Information for Letter to Secretary Vilsack on Mechanically Tenderized (MT) Beef Products,” Safe Food Coalition, June 12, 2009. For a critical perspective on tenderized meat, I’m grateful to Carol Tucker-Forman, a former assistant secretary of agriculture and now a fellow with the Consumer Federation of America.

  343 “lean finely textured beef” The term has changed over the years, with producers and the USDA arguing for various permutations. For a basic description of the product, see H. Ying and J. G. Sebranek, “Finely Textured Lean Beef as an Ingredient for Processed Meats,” Iowa State University, 1997.

  344 It was 15 percent cheaper From various USDA and industry records obtained through the Freedom of Information Act and sources. Michael Moss, “The Burger That Shattered Her Life,” The New York Times, October 4, 2009.

  345 The largest producer Michael Moss, “Company Record on Treatment of Beef Called into Question,” The New York Times, December 31, 2009.

  346 “It was frozen” Charles Tant to author.

  347 “I do not consider the stuff” Gerald Zirnstein in USDA memo, obtained by author. Additionally, I am grateful to him for discussing this memo and his dealings on the product with me.

  348 first published Moss, “Company Record on Treatment.”

  349 “That’s one of the reasons” Video of press conference, Des Moines, Iowa, March 28, 2012.

  350 “a staple of the school lunch program” I am indebted to various officials of the USDA school lunch program for sharing their memos, data, and experiences on this matter with me. See also Moss, “Company Record on Treatment.”

  351 “I think we are going” James Haggerty, “ ‘Pink Slime’ Spurs Beef Backlash,” (Scranton, Penn.) Times-Tribune, April 15, 2012.

  352 studies offered “convincing” evidence “Food, Nutrition, Physical Activity, and the Prevention of Cancer: A Global Perspective,” World Cancer Research Fund and American Institute for Cancer Research, 2007, 121, 123.

  353 it called the “Cancer Team” For an internal analysis of the beef checkoff campaign’s work on the cancer report, see “Project Evaluation Audit: World Cancer Research Fund/American Institute of Cancer Research Report,” Sound Governance, June 13, 2008.

  354 also retained the services Starting on April 10, 2007, the expenditure of these funds was authorized by the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association, with approval from the U.S. Secretary of Agriculture, according to records released by the USDA to author. Exponent provides case studies of its work products on its website.

  355 Exponent conducted its own Dominik D. Alexander et al., “Red Meat and Processed Meat Consumption and Cancer,” National Cattlemen’s Beef Association, 2010.

  356 “an emotional and frightening issue” “Project Evaluation Audit: World Cancer Research Fund/American Institute of Cancer Research Report.”

  357 “Cancer risk is not about diet alone” Ibid.

  358 “Overall, beef checkoff messages” Ibid.

  359 “The Secretary of Agriculture” Opinion of the Court, in Johanns v. Livestock Marketing Association, U.S. Supreme Court, May 23, 2005. For an analysis of the case by a former FDA official, see Daniel E. Troy, “Do We Have a Beef with the Court? Compelled Commercial Speech Upheld, But It Could Have Been Worse,” Cato Supreme Court Review, The Cato Institute.

  360 “I resist ranking” Ruth Bader Ginsburg in separate opinion concurring in the judgment, in Johanns v. Livestock Marketing Association, U.S. Supreme Court, May 23, 2005. I am indebted to a former USDA economist, Parke Wilde, for being generous with his time in discussing his own, similarly critical analysis of the checkoff programs. See, for example, Parke E. Wilde, “Federal Communication About Obesity in the Dietary Guidelines and Checkoff Programs,” Discussion Paper No. 27, Tufts University, 2005.

  361 less cheese-laden pizza A 2006 brochure produced by the USDA, “Your Personal Health: Steps to a Healthier You,” has this suggestion for people when they get the urge to eat pizza: “Ask for whole-wheat crust and half the cheese.”

  362 “The partnership sells more cheese” Tom Gallagher, “Checkoff Is Working Hard for You!” Western Dairy Business, September 2009.

  363 “In Mexico, a joint promotion with Domino’s” “Report to Congress on the National Dairy Promotion and Research,” USDA, July 1, 2002.

  Chapter 11: “No Sugar, No Fat, No Sales”

  364 “The council will give Kraft” “Kraft Foods Announces 10 Members of Worldwide Health and Wellness Advisory Council,” Business Wire, September 3, 2003.

  365 “Both my boys were appalled” Ellen Wartella to author.

  366 The session started out I am grateful to various Kraft officials for discussion of the panel’s confidential work with me.

  367 “I pointed this out” Ellen Wartella to author.

  368 sought to refute Andrea Carlson and Elizabeth Frazao, “Are Health Foods Really More Expensive? It Depends on How You Measure the Price,” Economic Information Bulletin No. EIB-96, Economic Research Service, USDA, May 2012.

  369 “Build and defend” Kraft to Philip Morris Corporate Products Committee, June 24, 1996, in LT.

  370 “We were trying” Kathleen Spear to author.

  371 “We’re a food business” Ibid.

  372 an advertisement began appearing Amanda Amos and Margaretha Haglund, “From Social Taboo to ‘Torch of Freedom’: The Marketing of Cigarettes to Women,” Tobacco Control 9 (2000): 3–8.

  373 Only internally “New Product Screening,” Philip Morris memo, March 1, 1972, in LT.

  374 “High fat diets may” Ernst Wynder et al., “Association of Dietary Fat and Lung Cancer,” American Health Foundation, New York City, 1986, in LT.

  375 “ranks as one of the great” Philip Morris Trial Counsel Seminar, La Jolla, California, May 9–12, 1990.

  376 “As new management” Kraft General Foods Orientation to Management Meeting, July 11–12, 1990, in LT.

  377 “we’re helping busy consumers” “A Powerful Company, Poised for Growth,” Presentation to Investment Community, New York City, June 28, 1999.

  378 the company’s polling identified it “Issues Management Q3 Omnibus Survey Key Resul
ts,” Philip Morris memo, November 7, 2000, in LT.

  379 “Obesity is literally an epidemic” Jay Poole speech to the Agriculture and Applied Economics Association meeting, 1999, in LT.

  380 1999 strategy paper “A New Approach to Our Mission: Lessons from the Tobacco Wars,” in LT.

  381 “We’d been through a pretty hard time” Geoffrey Bible to author.

  382 “the right product for consumers” Ibid.

  383 “He talked about why” John Ruff to author.

  384 Bible told his food executives Ibid.

  385 “I used to come home” Ibid.

  386 from its own research Kraft presentation to FDA, May 14, 2004.

  387 officials met with the agency Ibid.

  388 the food industry was discussing For an analysis of the systems being considered, see Ellen Wartella et al., “Examination of Front-of-Package Nutrition Rating Systems and Symbols,” Phase 1 Report, Institute of Medicine, October 13, 2010.

  389 “That was in constant discussion” John Ruff to author.

  390 “In Capri Sun alone” Marc Firestone to author.

  391 managed to wrestle The effort to cut 1.5 trillion calories is being overseen by a food industry group and is being monitored by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, which in 2012 was working to design a system that could verify and track any changes the industry makes. One challenge in performing this chore, foundation officials told me, would be keeping abreast of the constant flux in grocery products, as new items replace the old; another is ensuring the calorie reductions are not undertaken merely in low-selling versions of the mainline products.

  392 “Do you think” Transcript, Kraft earnings conference call, July 16, 2003.

  393 Holden gamely replied Ibid.

  394 removed from her job Dave Carpenter, “Kraft Demotes Co-CEO Betsy Holden amid Product Setbacks,” Associated Press, December 16, 2003.

  395 “The ‘Twist, Lick and Dunk’ ritual” Anand Kripalu, Kraft Foods president for South Asia and Indonesia China, Campaign India, April 6, 2011.

  396 “A refreshing drink” Kraft Cadbury announcement, April 14, 2011.

  397 “a broad market change” Daryl Brewster to author.

  398 “People who otherwise” Ibid.

  399 The 100-calorie concept Elaine Wong, “100-Calorie Packs Pack It In,” Brandweek, May 26, 2009.

  400 found that the small packs Maura Scott, “The Effects of Reduced Food Size and Package Size on the Consumption Behavior of Restrained and Unrestrained Eaters,” Journal of Consumer Research 35 (2008): 391–405.

  401 But Hershey wasn’t worried “Hershey Lures Lenny From Kraft,” Chicago Tribune, March 13, 2001; “Hershey Foods: It’s Time to Kiss and Make Up,” Mendoza College of Business, University of Notre Dame, March 2003.

  402 “Our desire was to be” Daryl Brewster to author.

  403 lineup of Oreo cookies “Oreo Enters 100th Year Crossing the $2 Billion Mark; Plans to Reach $1 Billion in Developing Markets in 2012,” Kraft announcement, May 3, 2012.

  404 Kraft’s big move “Cadbury was the final piece of the puzzle,” a Kraft vice president, Chris Jakubik, said in a presentation to investors on September 15, 2010, entitled “Hitting Our Sweet Spot.” He described Kraft as “shifting from turnaround to growth” and said that the company was poised to lead the industry globally on snacks, with a leading 10.1% share of the market, far ahead of the second-largest snack seller, PepsiCo, at 7.6%.

  405 “My wife saw this” Comments on Kraft’s website for the cream cheese chocolate product.

  Chapter 12: “People Love Salt”

  406 more than ten grams “Report of the Dietary Guidelines Advisory Committee on the Dietary Guidelines for Americans,” 2010, pages D6–17. Table salt is 40% sodium, so ten grams of salt is 4 grams of sodium, or 4,000 milligrams. A teaspoon holds about 6 grams of salt, or 2,300 milligrams of sodium.

  407 published the results Richard Mattes, and Diana Donnelly, “Relative Contributions of Dietary Sodium Sources,” Journal of the American College of Nutrition 10, no. 4 (1991): 383–393.

  408 relied heavily on salt Mark Kurlansky, Salt: A World History (New York: Walker and Co., 2002).

  409 “People love salt” “10-Step Guide to Lowering the Sodium in Food and Beverage Products,” Cargill, 2009.

  410 consider the number 2,300 In examining the health impact of excessive sodium, the Dietary Guideline panel appeared ready to set the recommended maximum at 1,500 milligrams for all Americans, meeting transcripts show. But noting how far above this level most Americans were, the final report retained 2,300 milligrams as a ceiling. The American Heart Association recommends that all adults consume less than 1,500 milligrams per day. Several public health agencies have established sodium limits for children, too, ranging from 1,500 milligrams (ages 1–3 years) to 1,900 (4–8 years) to 2,200 (9–13 years).

  411 lowered this target “Report of the Dietary Guidelines Advisory Committee on the Dietary Guidelines for Americans, 2010.”

  412 These 143 million people The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention parsed the 2010 Dietary Guidelines for sodium and determined that 57% of American adults meet the criteria for limiting their sodium intake to 1,500 milligrams a day, and that almost all of these people were exceeding the limit. “Usual Sodium Intakes Compared with Current Dietary Guidelines: United States, 2005–2008,” Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report, Centers for Disease Control, October 11, 2011.

  413 turkey dinner from Hungry Man Owned by the Pinnacle Foods Group, the Hungry Man products have been undergoing reformulations to lower the total sodium content.

  414 “Most of the things we love” Paul Breslin to author.

  415 “I think the interest in making” Ibid.

  416 researchers reported the case L. Wilkins and C. P. Richter, “A Great Craving for Salt by a Child with Corticoadrenal Insufficiency,” Journal of the American Medical Association 114 (1940): 866–868.

  417 One of Breslin’s favorite papers Stephen Woods, “The Eating Paradox: How We Tolerate Food,” Psychological Review 98, no. 4 (1991): 488–505.

  418 One of the most intriguing accounts Michael Morris et al., “Salt Craving: The Psychobiology of Pathogenic Sodium Intake,” Physiological Behavior 94, no. 4 (2008): 709–721.

  419 In 2006 a law firm Joseph McMenamin and Andrea Tiglio, “Not the Next Tobacco: Defense to Obesity Claims,” Food and Drug Law Journal 61, no. 3 (2006): 445–518. In April 2012, a forum in Washington hosted by the Grocery Manufacturers Association included a discussion of food addiction moderated by an official from Frito-Lay, and the panelists included a Pennsylvania State University professor of nutrition named Rebecca Corwin who believes the addiction issue should be focused more on the consumer. It is the way these foods are being eaten, not the foods themselves, that is problematic, she argues. Highly fat and sugary foods are addictive when people go to extremes and alternate between bingeing and abstaining. Her 2009 paper in the Journal of Nutrition elaborates on this: “Even highly palatable food is not addictive in and of itself,” she writes. “Rather, it is the manner in which the food is presented (i.e., intermittently), and consumed (i.e., repeated, intermittent ‘gorging’) that appears to entrain the addiction process.” R. L. Corwin and Patricia Grigson, “Symposium Overview: Food Addiction: Fact or Fiction,” Journal of Nutrition 139, no. 3 (2009): 617–619.

  420 “With few exceptions” Paul Breslin to author.

  421 people are drawn Howard Moskowitz and Jacquelyn Beckley, “Craving and the Product: Looking at What We Crave and How to Design Products around It,” Moskowitz Jacobs Inc., 2001.

  422 “Don’t let hunger” In 2001, Mars won an Effie Award from the advertising industry for a campaign that used a variation on this theme: “You’re Not You When You’re Hungry.”

  423 This idea that salt Leslie Stein et al., “The Development of Salty Taste Acceptance Is Related to Dietary Experience in Human Infants: A Prospective Study,” American Journal of Clinical Nutrition 95, no. 1 (2012): 123
–129.

  424 “Our data would suggest” Anahad O’Connor, “Taste for Salt Is Shaped Early in Life,” The New York Times, December 21, 2011.

  425 5 billion pounds The United States Geological Survey estimates that 4 percent of all salt produced is used for food, with chemicals and ice control dividing the lion’s share. See Dennis Kostick, “Salt,” 2010 Minerals Yearbook, U.S.G.S.

  Chapter 13: “The Same Great Salty Taste Your Customers Crave”

  426 ten cents a pound Cargill declined to disclose its prices or how much salt it produces. Pricing and production figures cited in this chapter are estimated by the author derived from food industry sources, public disclosures by other salt producers, and the U.S. Geological Survey, which tracks salt production.

  427 “Salt!” Alton Brown, Cargill salt promotional video.

  428 Its revenue climbed “Working to Feed the World,” 2011 Cargill Annual Report.

  429 350 chartered cargo vessels David Whitford and Doris Burke, “Cargill: Inside the Quiet Giant That Rules the Food Business,” Fortune Magazine, October 27, 2011.

  430 4.8 million pounds Estimate by author derived from U.S. Geological Survey reports and interviews with agency and industry officials. Dennis Kostick, “Salt,” Mineral Commodity Summaries, U.S. Geological Survey, January 2012.

  431 a clever idea Cargill officials to author.

  432 The Union deployed Kurlansky, Salt.

  433 this alone would prevent Report of the Dietary Guidelines Advisory Committee on the Dietary Guidelines for Americans, 2010, D6–16.

  434 “Excessive intake” Kristen Dammann to author.

  435 The British knew well Corinne Vaughan, “The U.K. Food Standards Agency’s Programme on Salt Reduction,” presentation to the Institute of Medicine, March 2009.

  436 “A lot of people” Jody Mattsen to author.

  437 “Do you decide” “10-Step Guide to Lowering the Sodium in Food and Beverage Products,” Cargill, 2009.

  438 “Options such as potassium chloride” Ibid.

  439 have sought to discourage “Guidance on Salt Reduction in Meat Products for Smaller Businesses,” British Meat Processors Association, London.