Evil Alert: Pepsi's Plans

Every once in a while I have to agree with my nutrition colleagues about the occasional spots of villainy in our major food companies. Today it's Pepsi, whose plans for domination of the snack market of the future involve convincing people that not-nutrition is very nutritious. Consider as an example the following three products coming out, advertised to parents as great ways to get your kids to eat more fruit:

    *  Grape World: Apple puree, filtered water, banana puree concentrate, fibersol-2 fiber (maltodextrin), grape juice concentrate, apple juice concentrate, lemon juice concentrate, natural flavor and ascorbic acid (vitamin C).
    * Cherry World: Apple puree, filtered water, banana puree concentrate, fibersol-2 fiber (maltodextrin), apple juice concentrate, cherry juice concentrate, lemon juice concentrate, natural flavor and ascorbic acid (vitamin C).
    * Apple World: Apple puree, filtered water, banana puree concentrate, fibersol-2 fiber (maltodextrin), apple juice concentrate, lemon juice concentrate, natural flavor and ascorbic acid (vitamin C).
Translation: “Juice concentrates” is another euphemism for sugar.  You don’t believe me?  See the list of sugar euphemisms in the 2005 Dietary Guidelines (Table 14). My translation: this is watery apple and banana sauce, artificially thickened, sweetened with fruit sugars, flavored with additives, and with added vitamin C.

Another phrase to watch out for is "fun-flavored."

But, okay, so they want to sell flavored sugar as if it were a variety of fruits. That's not EEEEEvil. Pepsi does have more healthy brands than, say, Coke. This is the line that worries me, from Pepsi's CEO:

"We see the emerging opportunity to ‘snackify’ beverages and ‘drinkify’ snacks as the next frontier in food and beverage convenience."

Now where have I heard something like that before? ... No no, don't tell me. I know it'll come to me.... 

Ship's Computer: Time for lunch... in a cup!

Duuuuude.