Food Quote by Patrick Di Justo
““FAT FREE, NONFAT, LOW FAT, LIGHT Only in the bizarro world of food labeling can the terms “fat free,” “zero fat,” “no fat,” and “without fat” not necessarily mean that the product in fact has zero grams of fat. In the world according to the FDA, “zero” means anything from actually zero all the way up to half a gram. By this outlandish arithmetic, four servings of “zero fat” food can actually contain close to two grams of fat.””
About This Quote
Source Article: Food Labeling Practices, 2020
Food labels like “fat free” can still contain up to half a gram of fat per serving, so multiple servings may add up to noticeable fat intake.
In simple terms: Labels can be misleading about actual fat content.
Key Takeaway
Check serving sizes and total fat across servings.
Themes
nutrition
labeling
consumer awareness
Mood
cautious
informed
Type
educational
critical
When to use this quote
- grocery shopping
- diet planning
- health education
- food manufacturing
Key Concepts
regulation
arithmetic
perception
Questions to Reflect On
- How do you verify actual fat content?
- What alternatives exist to avoid misleading labels?
A Different Perspective
The FDA’s definition of “zero” may confuse consumers seeking truly fat‑free products.
![“[S]ometimes, when you are a food person, the possible irrelevance of what you are doing doesn’t cross your mind until it’s too late. (Once, for example, when I was just starting out in the food business, I was hired by the caper people to develop a lot of recipes using capers, and it was weeks of…” quote by Nora Ephron](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/d79/nora-ephron-1217_business_s-ometimes-when-you-are-a-food-person-th_980.jpg)
