Nutrition guidelines have also been a hot-button issue in Canada with a number of agriculture organizations criticizing the most recent Canada Food Guide for down-playing their products such as dairy and red meats.
The Nutrition Coalition in the United States said “75 per cent of the individuals involved in formulating the U.S. government’s official dietary guidance have food industry ties.
“Fifty-five percent have ties to International Life Sciences Institute (ILSI), which was founded by a former Coca-Cola executive and is funded by Coca-Cola, PepsiCo, McDonald’s, General Mills, Cargill, Monsanto, the National Dairy Council, the International Tree Nut Council and a host of other global purveyors of junk food and drink,” the coalition said.
“Trustworthy policy and the health of America depends upon a policy that reflects a balanced, rigorous, and comprehensive review of the science and is not the product of food-industry interests,” said Nina Teicholz, executive director of the Nutrition Coalition.
“This new report shines a light on flaws in the guidelines process, showing that the expert committee in charge continues to have extensive, undisclosed ties with food-industry interests.”
