Maple Syrup Producers Fight Against Misleading Labeling

Maple syrup producers are fighting back against 'maple' products that don't actually contain maple syrup, and have taken their concerns to the FDA. A letter to the FDA calls for "enforcement action concerning misrepresentative labeling of food products whose labels incorrectly indicate the presence of maple syrup."

It calls out specific products with 'maple' on the packaging but actual maple syrup is nowhere to be found in the ingredient list. These include Quaker Oats Maple & Brown Sugar Instant Oatmeal, Hood Ice Cream Maple Walnut, and Madhava Natural Sweeteners Maple Agave Nectar.

Producers argue that mislabeling hurts both consumers and maple syrup producers. The letter reads, "This unchecked misbranding has an adverse impact on manufacturers of products containing real maple syrup, as it allows cheaper products not containing premium ingredients to compete with those actually containing maple syrup. Further, it deceives consumers into believing they are purchasing a premium product when, in fact, they have a product of substantially lower quality."