The Joy Of Pepsi ®, Bringing Together Traditions and Nutrition
By Kara Pifer
Diet Pepsi, Tropicana, Cheddar and Sour Cream Ruffles, Tostitos with salsa, Barbecue Lays. How many individuals in the United States can honestly say they have never tried any of these famous “junk foods?” Not me, and personally I have a tendency to reach for the tortilla chips at birthday parties and the Ruffles with my lunch. Most people cringe while looking at the nutrition panel on these particular snack foods, but will they always have to be associated with the title “junk food?” Possibly not, as many related stories debated as they passed through the news feed toward the end of 2010. PepsiCo. the company producing the brands listed above and many additional brands and products has recently opened a research lab near Yale University. Currently, it seems that employees are in the testing stages for many products but their main goals revolve around designing “healthier junk food.” Although many people have been following the opening of the lab and debating the purpose of the research being conducted there, we should keep an open mind.
Reading through articles online, many writers and readers alike seem to have endless criticisms concerning the purpose behind the company investing so much in research for this so-called “healthier junk food.” Many readers seem to believe that this new approach is unnecessary and that all of us should know that junk food shouldn’t be consumed, it’s unhealthy and so on and so forth. Yes, most of us know this, and it has been pounded into our memory from the time we could ask for a cookie. The problem comes in with the fact that although the leaders of the scientific community tell us that the food is unhealthy and our body is not receiving many beneficial nutrients, we eat the chips anyway. We like how they taste and that spectacular crunch that is always accompanied by that burst of flavor and in many cases, it fits with the social setting we are in. Whether it be an office party, a Superbowl event or a birthday party, social settings are now almost synonymous with eating. Food is always a major part of our lives and in many cases, “junk” food sneaks it’s way into us in doses. These doses may be infrequent for some, but for others, chips and prepackaged cookies have become a part of everyday eating. Although dietitians and the rest of the nutritional community can remind the public over and over again that these foods are not healthy choices, they will still be consumed by some as long as they are produced. Many Americans are trying to eat healthier and due to this trend, PepsiCo. is attempting to discover ways to “lighten up” America’s favorite snacks.
A new product that has already been developed by the PepsiCo. Nutrition Research Lab may or may not live up to the “healthier junk food” image. According to “The Source”, a section of the Wall Street Journal website, this new product is set to be released exclusively in the Midwest sometime in the next month. This means that I may actually have the chance to try it (even though it’s geared toward children’s lunchboxes)! This particular new product, called Tropolis, is trying to follow the new health food trend by creating a sort of smoothie in a bottle, but rather than the drinkable yogurt smoothies, it’s more or less just blended fruit. According to an article on packingdigest.com, Tropolis is “a smooth blend of real squeezable fruit, is a good source of fiber, and offers 100 percent of the recommended daily value of vitamin C, with no added sugars, artificial sweeteners or high fructose corn syrup; and no artificial flavors, colors or preservatives. Tropicana Tropolis aims to deliver a fun fruit experience in a convenient and affordable way.” This description really answers all the major questions I had in mind while first hearing about the product. I assumed that Tropolis (since designed for kids) would be loaded with sugar, and if not real sugar, some form of artificial sweeteners. Also, like most “kid foods” or “junk foods” I assumed it would have a large amount of high fructose corn syrup and artificial coloring to make it appealing to kids. Again, this description explains otherwise, which makes me feel fairly confident that this product really will be leading PepsiCo. on the right track toward their goal of making “healthier junk food” a reality.
Is this nutrition research lab just a plot created by PepsiCo. to make us believe they are the good guys? Many critics believe that this project is a marketing scam for PepsiCo. The main criticism is that the company’s main goal is to provide the public with a pleasant image of a company who is notorious for producing many of the culprits of our larger waistlines. This pleasant image may lead more consumers to purchase PepsiCo. products instead of other brands because they feel they are making a healthier choice. Although this sounds like it would be a brilliant plan by the company, every change they make to their products has an effect on the health of everyone who consumes them. Hopefully over time more small changes developed in this lab will take effect in many PepsiCo. products. These little changes may add up to a healthier America, or so we can hope.
For further information on the topic:
http://healthland.time.com/2010/12/30/is-pepsico-getting-in-the-health-food-game/
http://www.latimes.com/health/boostershots/la-heb-pepsico-yale-20101230,0,5883388.story
http://blogs.wsj.com/source/2011/01/04/pepsico-adds-to-jargon-in-aim-to-snackify-drinks/
http://www.packagingdigest.com/article/512052-Tropicana_Tropolis_fruit_snacks_debut_in_colorful_squeezable_pouch.php
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