Packages required to list common names of foods

Question: I tasted some "honey cherry" from a store. I discovered that the pit wasn’t from a cherry, but possibly an apricot. I called someone at the store, and he said that cherry and apricot are from the same species so it wasn’t necessary to change the name. Also, he said that locals are accustomed to the name. I told him this is false advertising. Who is right?

Answer: You are. The labels on the packages were changed to reflect the actual product.

An inspector with the state Department of Health spoke to the store’s general manager, who said he receives the product in question from two sources: a local vendor who listed the product as cherry and a mainland vendor who listed it as plum.

"He is changing the labels to reflect the correct product ingredient and apologized, as he stated he was unaware of the substitution to plum," said Gary Hirokane, supervisor with the Health Department’s Sanitation Branch, which now includes the Food and Drug Branch under a reorganization.

"The inspector will be conducting a follow-up of the labels to ensure that (the store) follows the labeling requirements."

We’re told no penalty was assessed because when the mislabeling was brought to the store’s attention, new labels were immediately created.

Basic guidelines under the Hawaii Food, Drugs and Cosmetics Act require products to be labeled with the name of the product, reflecting "a common or usual name" accurately describing the product in English; net weight or volume of the product in metric (e.g., grams) and avoirdupois (inch-pound) units; ingredients in descending order of predominance by weight; and a "responsibility" statement, which should include the name and address of the manufacturer, packer or distributor.

Packaged foods also are required to provide nutritional facts on labels under the federal Nutrition Labeling and Education Act of 1990.

But there are many exemptions to this requirement, including foods offered by small businesses (determined by gross sales or number of employees); restaurant and vendor foods without menu claims; foods for immediate consumption; foods prepared on site and ready to eat; foods shipped in bulk containers; medical foods; dietary supplements; infant formulas; tea, coffee and other foods with insignificant nutrient contents; raw fish, fruits and vegetables; single-ingredient foods; game meats such as deer, bison, rabbit, etc.; and foods in packages with less than 12 square inches available for labeling, in which case a telephone number or name/address can be given for inquiries on nutritional values.

Anyone suspecting a labeling violation can report it to the Food and Drug Branch at 586-4725.

Question: I’m part of a car pool that was specifically created to use the ZipperLane. Our morning commute was a comfortable drive and evenly paced, until the state Department of Transportation decided to require only two occupants instead of three. Now it’s become a clogged nightmare. When will the DOT return the ZipperLane to three or more people only?

Answer: Not until it has more time to assess how the lower occupant requirement is working. The DOT eased the requirement this month because the ZipperLane wasn’t being used enough.

"At this time we are still collecting data to determine the optimal ZipperLane usage rate, and it is too soon to say what, if any, changes will be made," said DOT spokeswoman Caroline Sluyter. "We greatly appreciate the public’s patience during this time."

MAHALO

To all the kamaaina and worldwide visitors who lent a "pushing" hand Sunday afternoon, July 29, when my scooter’s battery ran out of juice en route from the Hale Koa Hotel to my Tusitala home. This 93-year-old experienced the true meaning of aloha without a word of reward demanded.

— Allan Wallace