ADVERTISING

FTC Applies Labeling Rules to Food Advertising: The Federal Trade Commission, as expected, said it will generally apply federal food labeling rules to food advertising. The FTC said advertisers should adhere to U.S. Food and Drug Administration definitions of such buzzwords as low and lean and that such phrases as packed with should meet FDA standards for high in a specific nutrient. However, the Center for Science in the Public Interest, a consumer organization, said the FTC did not go far enough. The center said the FTC rules allow advertisers to stress the healthful aspects of a food containing undesirable levels of fat or sodium as long as those levels are disclosed. The FDA does not permit foods with high amounts of sodium or fat to make health claims on their labels. The FTC regulates advertising while the FDA regulates food labeling.