Response to Daily Mail Article, November 29th, 2024

Dear Mr. Smucker, CEO of Twinkies and J.M. Smucker,

Bravo, Mr, Smucker, let people decide what they should eat, but only after you give them transparency about what is truly in our foods. The problem isn’t just with Smucker’s or Twinkies; it’s the entire food industry keeping the public in the dark. Following FDA regulations might meet the bare minimum, but it’s not enough. People deserve to know what’s truly in their foods. So how does Twinkies stand up to the WISEcode spotlight? Not great.

Twinkies as a Case Study

Let’s take Twinkies as an example. Using tools like the WISEcode app, we can break down what’s in this beloved snack:

• Super Ultra-Processed: Twinkies fall into a category even worse than ultra-processed foods, with a combination of ingredients that heavily deviate from anything naturally occurring.

• Contains Seed Oils: Industrial seed oils have been linked to inflammation and other health issues.

• “Watch Out” Ingredients: Twinkies include Red 40, a controversial artificial coloring known to affect human biochemistry negatively, especially in children.

• High Fructose Corn Syrup: This ingredient is associated with obesity, insulin resistance, and other metabolic disorders.

• Fails MAHA Standards: Twinkies contain all five categories RFK highlights as harmful—ultra-processed ingredients, seed oils, high fructose corn syrup, “watch out” ingredients, and artificial colors.

Here is the screen shot of Twinkies in the WISEcode app.

* Note to your consumers and readers of this letter – if you want to download the WISEcode app, it is available in the Apple Store.

A Better Approach Called “Transparency.”

RFK is pursuing a regulatory approach that mandates the elimination of certain ingredients—a path often fraught with inefficiencies. It took the FDA over three decades to ban just one ingredient, trans fats, despite overwhelming evidence of their harm. Regulatory processes are slow, often influenced by lobbying, and can fail to keep pace with scientific advancements.

But even more importantly, we have 45 harmful ingredients hidden in our foods, about 33% of our foods contain seed oils and about 30% of our foods are ultra-processed or super ultra-processed. We’ll all be dead before RFK’s regulator approach addresses these issues. We believe there is a better way.

WISEcode approach is immediate, and is available now and is simple: give consumers full knowledge to empower personal choice. If people understand the bad ingredients in our foods and still want to reward themselves with a Twinkie and also Ozempic, that is their right. But give them transparency, which we do.

Mr. Smucker, we invite you to join the food transparency revolution and empower your consumers with knowledge (or just download our app!)

Sincerely,

Peter M. Castleman

Founder of WISEcode