FDA Crunches Cheerios Claims

We're accustomed to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration criticizing prescription drug ads that are misleading, but this week its focus shifted to the food industry, where it targeted our beloved Cheerios, those tasty toasted oats we've all been eating since childhood. As adults, we've crunched away at a bowl in the hopes of lowering our cholesterol...At least, that's what General Mills told us on the boxes...Now the FDA is challenging that assumption, suggesting that if the company wants to make those claims, it should submit an application for Cheerios as a drug that lowers cholesterol. In a statement in its defense, General Mills said the claims have been approved by the FDA for 12 years and the only argument is about the language used to describe the health claim. The company said it would work with the FDA to resolve the issues. Save the OOOOOOOOs and let's concentrate on something important, such as the economy.