CINCINNATI — The Kroger Co. is introducing two private label brands: Simple Truth and Simple Truth Organic. Products marketed under the brands will be free from 101 ingredients some of the retailers customers have said they do not want in their food, and Simple Truth Organic products are certified under the National Organic Program.
“While organic products are available in most conventional grocery stores, our customers told us that labels can be confusing, and there’s a general belief in the marketplace that organic means more expensive,” said Mary Ellen Adcock, vice-president of natural foods for Kroger. “At Kroger we understand these challenges, so we’re offering our shoppers the Simple Truth Organic brand, an easy, more clearly labeled and affordable way to buy organic products.”
Kroger said All Simple Truth and Simple Truth Organic products are clearly marked with the brand's green circular logo and contain straightforward ingredient statements. Simple Truth Organic items display the U.S. Department of Agriculture organic seal on the front of packaging, while Simple Truth products have visible identifiers that indicate their category.
“Most shoppers don’t have time to browse grocery stores for quality food, and no one wants to spend more money than necessary,” said Carolyn Brown, MS, RD, Simple Truth spokesperson and nutritionist at Foodtrainers, a private practice in New York. “Simple Truth and Simple Truth Organic flips shoppers’ expectations by delivering value-priced products that can be found in almost every aisle at their neighborhood Kroger store.”
Ingredients included on Kroger’s list of 101 that will not be featured in Simple Truth products are:
Acesulfame-K (acesulfame potassium)
Acetylated ester of mono- and diglycerides
Ammonium Chloride
Antibiotics
Artificial colors
Artificial flavors
Aspartame
Astaxanthin
Azodicarbonamide
Autolyzed Yeast Extract
Bentonite (acceptable in supplements)
Benzoates in food
Benzoyl alcohol
Benzoyl peroxide
B.H.A. (butylated hydroxyanisole)
B.H.T. (butylated hydroxytoluene)
Bisulfites
Bleached flour
Bromated flour
Brominated vegetable oil (B.V.O.)
Calcium bromate
Calcium disodium E.D.T.A.
Calcium peroxide
Calcium propionate
Calcium stearoyl-2-lactylate
Calcium sorbate
Caprocaprylobehenin
Carmine (see cochineal)
Certified colors (may be the same as artificial colors)
Cochineal (carmine)
Cyclamates
Cystine (I-cysteine), as an additive for bread products
D.A.T.E.M. (Diacetyl tartaric and fatty acid esters of mono and diglycerides)
Diglycerides (Okay in supplements)
Dimethylpolysiloxane
Dioctyl sodium sulfosuccinate (D.S.S.)
Disodium calcium E.D.T.A.
Disodium dihydrogen E.D.T.A.
Disodium guanylate (G.M.P.)
Disodium succinate
Dimethylamylamine (D.M.A.A.)
EDTA-ethylenedia mine-tetra acetic acid-chelating preservative
Erythorbic acid
Ester gums
Ethanol, ethyl alcohol
Ethyl vanillin
Ethylene oxide
Ethyoxyquin
FD&C colors (food, dye and color)
Glycerol ester of wood rosin
Hexa-, hepta- and octa-esters of sucrose
High fructose corn syrup
Hydrogenated/partially hydrogenated fats & oils
Hydroxpropyl guar gum
Methylene chloride
Methyl silicon
Modified food starch-(acceptable if not chemically modified)
Monoglycerides
Monosodium glutamate (MSG)
Neotame
Nitrates/nitrites
Oxystearin
Parabens
Partially hydrogenated oil
Polydextrose
Potassium benzoate
Potassium bisulfate
Potassium bromate
Potassium hydroxide
Potassium metabisulfite
Potassium nitrate or nitrite
Potassium sorbate (acceptable in supplements only)
Propionates (calcium and sodium)
Propyl gallate
Propylene oxide
Propylparaben
Saccharin
Simplesse (brand name)
Sodium aluminum phosphate
Sodium aluminum sulfate
Sodium benzoate
Sodium bisulfate
Sodium diacetate
Sodium ferrocycanide
Sodium glutamate
Sodium metabisulfite
Sodium nitrate/nitrite
Sodium propionate
Sodium sterol lactylate
Sodium steroyl-2-lactylate
Sodium sulfite
Solvent extracted oils, as stand-alone, single-ingredient oils (except grape seed oil)
Sorbic acid
Sucralose
Sucroglycerides
Sucrose polyester (Olestra, Olean)
Sulfites (Sulfur dioxide)
Tartrazine
T.B.H.Q.(tertiary butylhydroquinone)
Tetrasodium E.D.T.A.
Titanium Dioxide
Trans fatty acids
Vanillin