Contadina Tomato Paste Product

[baby-makes-3]

Was about to open a few cans of what I thought was Tomato Paste (Italian Herb) when I happened to see right under the label it said in small letters "Product". Read the ingredients -- WOW! Everything from HFCS and they even managed to sneak dairy in!! Lots and lots of filler to stretch the actual paste.

It is packaged exactly like tomato paste in 6 oz. cans. I called the company and was assured that it would have the same "color and texture" as regular tomato paste and that whenever there are flavors, I can expect "extra ingredients" for the flavor.

If you're a label reader, you'd probably catch it before the checkout line, but we just assumed we were buying paste.

Anyway, also found out that Contadina is owned by Del Monte, and nowhere on the can does it say Del Monte......

[velochic]

This is why the very first think I look for on any label is "All Natural". Then I go to the ingredient list. Especially canned food. Good that you caught it before you used it, though.

[broodymama]

Yes, we've accidentally bought the "Italian Herbs" kind once, ugh. It has dairy (which my kids were sensitive too) and hydrolyzed corn gluten (MSG is a migraine trigger for me).

I avoid their products now.

[fruitfulmomma]

This is why the very first think I look for on any label is "All Natural".

That really doesn't mean anything though because the word 'natural' isn't regulated like 'organic' would be. (The difference between 'natural' and artificial' flavorings is that something labeled strawberry with 'natural' flavors has to have it's flavoring from 51% or more strawberries but can still have other stuff in there. Whereas if they used 50% or more of wood resin to make it 'strawberry' flavored, it is labeled artificial.)

I've got kids with allergies, so yes I am a big label reader. You'd be surprised at the amount of "junk" in so-called natural, healthy foods. Even WFM 365 flavored tomato sauces have HFCS in them.

And if you want to be really mad... two of my kids are gluten-free and because of certain loop-holes in the labeling laws which allow a number of parts per million of unlisted ingredients, Rice Dream milk is still ALLOWED to label their milk as gluten-free even though it is not!!! (See - http://www.tastethedream.com/info/qa...m.php#faqid474 where they admit to using barley, but claim none of it remains in the product - sorry not good enough for us!)

[velochic]

Originally Posted by fruitfulmomma

That really doesn't mean anything though because the word 'natural' isn't regulated like 'organic' would be. (The difference between 'natural' and artificial' flavorings is that something labeled strawberry with 'natural' flavors has to have it's flavoring from 51% or more strawberries but can still have other stuff in there. Whereas if they used 50% or more of wood resin to make it 'strawberry' flavored, it is labeled artificial.)

I've got kids with allergies, so yes I am a big label reader. You'd be surprised at the amount of "junk" in so-called natural, healthy foods. Even WFM 365 flavored tomato sauces have HFCS in them.

And if you want to be really mad... two of my kids are gluten-free and because of certain loop-holes in the labeling laws which allow a number of parts per million of unlisted ingredients, Rice Dream milk is still ALLOWED to label their milk as gluten-free even though it is not!!! (See - http://www.tastethedream.com/info/qa...m.php#faqid474 where they admit to using barley, but claim none of it remains in the product - sorry not good enough for us!)

Which is why I said that the next thing I do is read the ingredient list. We have allergies, too.

[fruitfulmomma]

Which is why I said that the next thing I do is read the ingredient list. We have allergies, too.

Yes, I understand that. I'm sorry to have offended you, it is just that ime that particular label is a waste of time. More often than not our safe foods come from places that don't promote their foods as 'natural' but they have far less additives and fillers in them.

[velochic]

Double-post.

[velochic]

Originally Posted by fruitfulmomma

Yes, I understand that. I'm sorry to have offended you, it is just that ime that particular label is a waste of time. More often than not our safe foods come from places that don't promote their foods as 'natural' but they have far less additives and fillers in them.

No offense taken ... just saying there are some preliminary things you can do to eliminate the possibilities from the get-go.