Originally published on Guiding Stars Health & Nutrition News
By Mark Kantor
The Guiding Stars algorithms, the formulas used to assign Stars to foods and beverages, were recently updated to reflect new information about nutrition science and the current landscape of food product labeling in grocery stores. The Guiding Stars Scientific Advisory Panel (SAP) continually monitors new developments in nutrition and public health to determine if any changes in the algorithms are warranted. This year, after carefully reviewing federal nutrition guidance, Food and Drug Administration regulations, and nutrition science research, the SAP approved updates to four algorithms, resulting in the following key changes:
Star-Earning Yogurts
The FDA amended some of its labeling rules for yogurt in 2021. Among other things, the changes gave manufacturers the option of declaring “contains live and active cultures” (or a similar phrase) if products contain a certain minimum level of live and active bacterial cultures. In addition, the rule required yogurt labels to state “does not contain live and active cultures” if products were treated to inactivate viable microorganisms. To help shoppers identify more nutritious options in grocery stores, the SAP decided to award 1 bonus point for foods that declare “contains live and active cultures.” (Previously, only beverages could earn this credit). This bonus equates to a 1-star increase, which resulted in over 350 shelf tag changes, so shoppers will now see Stars on products such as whole milk plain yogurt and lightly sweetened yogurts, provided they don’t contain additives to limit, like artificial colors, flavors and sweeteners.
The Science: Live and active cultures in yogurt are a type of probiotic. When consumed, these “good bacteria” add to the population of microbes already found in the large intestine, or gut. This helps create a balanced and diverse gut “microbiome” – the entire community of microorganisms along with their genetic material – which is associated with such health benefits as improved digestion, a stronger immune system, reduced inflammation, and less constipation.
Addressing Food Additives
The Guiding Stars algorithms include an “additives to limit” component that considers the type and frequency of certain ingredients commonly found in highly processed foods. The “additives to limit” list includes ingredients such as artificial colors and flavors, synthetic non-nutritive sweeteners, chemical preservatives, sugar alcohols, and other additives used for such functional purposes as imparting texture and maintaining consistency. Although food additives are approved by FDA for use in certain foods at specified levels, many additives are often found in foods with poor nutritional quality, and some additives have been controversial over the years due to potential safety issues or public health concerns. The SAP monitors new research and policy issues related to food additives and considers not only their use in the U.S. but also how other countries view their safety.
To better guide consumers towards products that support good nutrition and promote health, the SAP chose to update the debit on “additives to limit” so that it is applied consistently across all the Guiding Stars algorithms. Now, all foods and beverages will receive a debit for one of these additives. Products that contain more than one additive to limit will be ineligible to earn any Stars.
The Science: For each additive included in the algorithm, there is evidence suggesting potential adverse health effects. For example, chemical preservatives like nitrates and nitrites found in cured meats can be converted to carcinogenic compounds called nitrosamines. Potassium bromate, used in baked goods to strengthen dough and help it rise, was linked to kidney and thyroid cancers and DNA damage, and was banned in several countries, including those in the European Union. The World Health Organization, based on what it considered to be limited evidence, classified the artificial sweetener aspartame as “possibly carcinogenic,” especially when consumed at very high levels. Many food additives are not necessary for producing tasty and nutritious foods or have not been shown to be effective for weight control, and they often can be replaced with less toxic ingredients.
Learn More: You can learn more about the science behind the Stars by accessing the white paper that details the Guiding Stars algorithms.
Guiding Stars is an objective, evidence-based, nutrition guidance program that evaluates foods and beverages to make nutritious choices simple. Products that meet transparent nutrition criteria earn a 1, 2, or 3 star rating for good, better, and best nutrition. Guiding Stars can be found in more than 2,000 grocery stores, in Circana’ Attribute Marketplace, and through the Guiding Stars Food Finder app.
