100% is Not Everything

This post is directed at both the FDA and Minute Maid, but you should read it too so that you are warned of the inaccurate labels on food products these days.

I bought a couple of things that were labelled as 100% juice. I like to buy things with as few ingredients as possible.

photo of a box of apple juice labelled as '100% juice'

photo of a box of orange juice labelled as '100% juice'

So I saw these items with “100% Juice” on the package and I bought them, naively thinking that “100% Juice” meant that it contained only juice. A package can’t contain more than 100% of its contents, right? So if 100% of the box is juice, there is no room left for anything else that’s not juice.

photo of the ingredients list of a box of apple juice labelled as '100% juice'

photo of the ingredients list of a box of orange juice labelled as '100% juice'

As you probably have guessed, companies get to round up or something. They start with 100% juice, then they add something so it’s mostly juice and some additives, but they still call it 100%.

That last step is where I disagree. Call it “Mostly Juice”, call it “99% Juice”, just don’t call it “100% Juice” – reserve the label “100% Juice” for items that are juice, all juice, and nothing but juice.

You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies;
You have anointed my head with oil;
My cup overflows.

Psalm 23:5

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This little article thingy was written by Some Guy sometime around 6:32 am and has been carefully placed in the Marketing category.

3 Responses to “100% is Not Everything”

  1. Ricky Anderson Says:

    Jana tells me this all makes sense, but my brain turned to mush about 20 minutes into the explanation. She was always better than me at Calculus.

  2. Some Guy Says:

    As the line representing amount of orange juice increases asymptotically, it approaches – but never actually reaches, 100%. However, we can say, for all practical and marketing purposes, that is equivalent to 100%.

  3. js Says:

    I’ve found that if you buy the cheap brands, they don’t put all the extra stuff in. They really are 100% juice.

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