22 June 2014
American blogger Vani Hari recently caught the MillerCoors Company strategically hiding their use of corn-syrup as ingredient of their beers. Concerned over the use of genetically modified corn and the fact that MillerCoors remains secretive about the complete list of ingredients of their products, Hari started a petition asking MillerCoors and Anheuser-Busch to disclose their ingredients online.
Vani Hari, also known as the Food Babe, recently asked the MillerCoors to disclose its ingredients per email. In their reply, the company stated their beers contain: “Water, Malted Barley, Corn Syrup, Hops, and Yeast.” The same reply explained that the use of corn syrup gives beer a milder and lighter-bodied flavour. That same reply concluded with the statement that “the specific ingredients are part of the recipe and considered propriety and is not available.”
Shortly after however, Hari found that on Facebook MillerCoors was describing its ingredients differently, specifically replacing ‘corn syrup’ with ‘corn.’ Various critics have argued this change was made because the company wants to distance itself from the ingredient of corn syrup, which has been linked with obesity and diabetes. Others argue the company wants to avoid associations with corn syrup because virtually all corn syrup comes from genetically modified corn, an association which may lead to product boycotts by certain consumers.
It has also been pointed out that if food companies were caught like this, they would be heavily fined or even shut down by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA). Since beer is not governed by the FDA but by the Treasury Department in the USA, there are no legal consequences to be expected.
To gain more insight into the ingredients of beer Vani Hari is running a petition asking MillerCoors and Anheuser-Busch to provide a full list of ingredients for all their beer product lines on their websites. In this petition she addresses the company CEOs: “As you know, the Treasury Department allows a laundry list of additives, stabilizers, and flavour enhancers in beer. Many of these ingredients are allergens or could be harmful. Consumers have the right to know what they are drinking.”
On the Food Babe website, Hari elaborates: “I’m not asking them to change their labels, or their formula. The secret recipe can remain secret while still disclosing the ingredients – just like Coca Cola has done for years – this won’t hurt their business – only help it by being honest with consumers who expect more of companies as large and prominent as Anheuser-Busch and MillerCoors.”
The petition can be signed here>>
Source: naturalnews.com 06/12/14