Save Our Mac & Cheese
Posted August 25th, 2009 by Joan BladesSave our mac & cheese
Did you know that Kraft Macaroni and Cheese is formulated differently for countries in Europe than for the U.S.?1 I didn’t either until I read The Unhealthy Truth, a book about the toxicity of America’s food supply.
The fact is, that in 2008, Kraft removed artificial colorings, like yellow #5, and chemical sweeteners, like aspartame, from the products that they distribute in Europe, Australia, and other developed countries due to consumer concern over scientific studies that link these synthetic ingredients to hyperactivity and asthma in children. But, they haven’t done the same thing here in the U.S.!2 Our voices are needed to make that change here too.
We’d love to have you join us in writing to the Kraft CEO, Irene Rosenfeld, a mother of two herself, requesting that Kraft remove these same ingredients from their products here in the U.S.
http://action.momsrising.org/cms/letter/campaign_27297/
Kraft took these chemicals and additives out of their European products. If we want Kraft to do this for us in the U.S., then Kraft needs to hear from us!
Join us in sending Kraft CEO, Irene Rosenfeld, a letter asking that Kraft value the health of our children as highly as they value the children in other countries. And please then share this email with friends and family so that they too can send a letter.
The vast majority of American homes have Kraft products.3 Together, we can affect change and have these ingredients removed from the products that Kraft distributes here in the U.S.
Here’s that link again to sign on to the letter in case you need it:
http://action.momsrising.org/cms/letter/campaign_27297/
Thank you greatly for your time!
[1] http://www.thedailygreen.com/healthy-eating/eat-safe/allergykids-asthma-autism-461108
[2] The Unhealthy Truth: How Our Food Is Making Us Sick and What We Can Do About It, page 175 (Random House 2009); Robyn O’Brien.
[3] http://www.kraftfoodscompany.com/assets/pdf/2008_Kraft_Fact_Sheet.pdf
Joan Blades is co-founder of MomsRising and MoveOn, as well as co-author of a forthcoming book titled The Custom-Fit Workplace, to be released Labor Day 2010.
29 Comments
February 25, 2010 at 1:20 am by glen vjoan – just wanted to applaud your efforts here (and sign your letter)
keep fighting the mega-corporations!
plenty of ways and reasons
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October 27, 2009 at 1:18 pm by MarianajosephWell Mrs McMiller,
Isn’t it ridiculous that we have to buy Organic Mac & Cheese? Shouldn’t it just be made like that period?
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October 12, 2009 at 11:43 pm by Michelle CatlinI got the same ridiculous form letter. I guess I am supposed to move to England or buy the more expensive (organic or natural means it costs more) brand.
Maybe we should boycott Kraft as the mom’s of the US and stand up to this. I realize right now this is a low priority issue, with health care, clean energy, and paid family leave encompassing most of our time and efforts. Well, as of today, no more KRAFT for the Catlin family.
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October 1, 2009 at 10:05 pm by SherylGot the form letter response from Kraft. Posted it to Facebook as well.
Dear Valued Consumer,
We received your recent e-mail about our Kraft Macaroni & Cheese.
We completely understand that as a parent, nothing is more important than your family’s health and well-being. That is one reason Kraft Foods is so dedicated to making the safety and quality of our products our top priority.
So that is why we follow the guidelines of government agencies that are responsible for the safety of our food. In the United States, Kraft Foods only uses ingredients that have been recognized as safe for food use in accordance with U.S. Food & Drug Administration regulations. We will continue to use the current ingredients, which are recognized as safe.
Our products around the globe are different to reflect local preferences and tastes. Yet we use the same standards to select ingredients, always putting safety first.
We know some people prefer products made without artificial ingredients so we now offer more choices. For products with no artificial preservatives, flavors or colors, you might want to consider Kraft Organic Macaroni & Cheese in White Cheddar or some of the Macaroni & Cheese dinner options in our Back to Nature line. We hope you’ll give them – and some of our other Back to Nature products – a try.
Just so you know, our Macaroni & Cheese products are sold primarily in the United States and Canada. Although we have a variation of pasta and cheese products in Scotland/northern England and Australia, neither has made any changes to their recipe since 2006.
Thank you for sharing your concerns. Your views on our products are very important to us and we take them to heart.
Sincerely,
Kim McMiller
Associate Director, Consumer Relations
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