Fast-food chains have been pulling out all the stops to get “health nuts” to frequent their establishments. McDonald’s came out with a kale salad (that ended up having more fat and calories than a Big Mac), Chick-Fil-A added an organic beverage and a “superfood” salad to its menu, and many chains have been switching to antibiotic-free chicken and cutting preservatives from their offerings.
The term “generally recognized as safe” was the basis for a federal judge’s decision on January 29 to order Greek yogurt-maker Chobani to stop airing ads that insinuated that competitors’ products were “unsafe or harmful” and contained chemicals used to kill bugs or clean swimming pools.
Judge David Hurd of the U.S. District Court for Northern New York called the ads “misleading” and ordered Chobani to halt the ads.
Panera Bread announced recently that its entire soup menu is now free of artificial colors, flavors, sweeteners, and preservatives.
There are 10 regular soups on Panera’s menu, and it also offers seasonal specials like Turkey Chili and Autumn Squash. Some 200 million Panera soups are ladled out each year, accounting for about 25% of annual sales, or $672 million. About 66 million servings of the company’s highly popular broccoli cheddar soup are served every year.
