The company website claims that "every 10 1/2 oz. SunChips package is designed to fully breakdown in just 14 weeks when placed in a hot, active compost bin or pile." What are the chances that the package is going to wind up in the compost pile? Probably very slim. A tiny percentage of Americans who are not required by local municipal laws (such as those in San Francisco and Seattle) separate compostable kitchen waste from trash (the stuff that by definition can not be composted, recycled or reused in some way). I imagine that the majority of SunChips packages are purchased at convenience stores & gas stations therefore suffer the fate of a typical drive-thru meal: a couple weeks on the backseat of the car followed by relocation to a garbage bag destined for the landfill.
Throwing new-fangled compostable food packaging (not to be confused with "biodegradable" materials which can leave traces of toxins when they decompose) into the garbage defeats the whole purpose of using it as an alternative to petroleum-based products. When organic materials, such as empty SunChips bags, are left to "rot" in landfills instead of undergo the intended biological breakdown process at a compost facility, they actually release methane, a potent greenhouse gas. In an ideal world, all food scraps and man-made compostable food containers would be placed in the "hot, active compost pile" as described by the makers of Frito-Lay packaging for the purpose of producing a handy fertilizer for the idyllic Levittown yard.
Speaking of simple & carefree living, Frito-Lay would also like you to believe that SunChips are the answer to your craving for something crunchy & tasty AND desire to eat healthfully. Each serving contains 18 grams of whole grains so these chips are guilt-free, right? The Frito-Lay nutritionists figured that by including whole grains and adding two wholesome grams of fiber, "it was a little thing we could do for your heart while we keep your taste buds happy."
They also think you'll be thrilled by the fact that SunChips have 30% less fat than regular potato chips. What kind of standard is that? A two-ounce single serving bag contains 13 grams of fat! The nutrition facts panel will tell you that this translate to 110 calories from fat. However, if you do the math, you'll discover that Frito-Lay takes advantage of leniencies in the labeling laws. 13 grams of fat actually contains 117 calories since each gram of fat has 9 calories. The FDA Rounding Rules allow manufacturers to express "calories from fat" in 10 calorie increments when the total amount is greater than 100. They should technically round up to 120 since that's the nearest multiple of 10.
Why am I splitting hairs over 7 measly calories? I don't mean to be a number-crunching, calorie-counting nazi by this criticism. My point is that this numerical manipulation is just one indication of the misleading claims that Frito-Lay and other companies make to persuade consumers to buy their products. The FDA has actually made it relatively easy for junk food makers to sell their crap as health products. By establishing legal definitions for what ingredients and nutrients are beneficial vs. harmful, the government created a playground for creative marketing schemes that profit from consumer ignorance.
Moral of the story, don't believe anything you read on the front of a food package. Heck, don't trust the nutrition facts panel (as I just demonstrated, numbers are not always objective). Get out your glasses or a magnifying glass and read the ingredient list for yourself. In the case of SunChips, the second ingredient is sunflower oil. There's more oil in the product than there is whole wheat or whole oat flour. Is that what YOU would call a healthy "Multigrain Snack"?
You should update your blog, missy! :)
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