P.M. BRIEFING : Diet Cookie to Amend Labels

The Food and Drug Administration said today a purported diet cookie made here will remain on the market pending modification of its labels that apparently contain false calorie and nutrition information.

Ron Johnson, FDA district director, met Wednesday with Phoenix International Marketing Corp. to discuss the problem with the labels and promotions that claim allegedly unproven weight loss and health benefits.

The San Francisco-based director said that no agreement was reached on how to change the labels but that the company made several suggestions on fixing the problem.

The cookie is advertised as having just two grams of fat, 10 grams of dietary fiber and 126 calories. The company claims that eating the cookie can help people lose up to 14 pounds in two weeks.

But tests at Mississippi State University found that the average Phoenix Cookie has half the fiber, twice the calories and five times the fat its makers claim.