Texas AG Investigates Major Food Manufacturers for Misleading “Heart-Healthy” Labeling

Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton announced an investigation into major food manufacturers that market their products as “heart-healthy,” alleging that many companies have adopted such labels on products that are high in added sugars, refined grains and inflammatory properties.

As part of the investigation, Attorney General Paxton has issued Civil Investigative Demands (“CIDs”) to food manufacturers that use the “heart-healthy” label. Companies under investigation so far include Frito Lay, Flora Food Group, and ACH Foods. The OAG will investigate whether these companies’ advertising practices violate the Texas Deceptive Trade Practices Act (“DTPA”) by misrepresenting the health value of their products to Texas consumers.

“I won’t allow corporations to slap a ‘heart healthy’ symbol on their food labels as an attempt to market seed oils and other chemical-filled foods as healthy,” said Paxton.

Paxton alleges food labels can be notoriously misleading because they often focus on the absence of one “bad” ingredient—such as low cholesterol or low sodium—while masking high levels of other harmful additives.

The Attorney General’s Office named products from Mazola Canola Oil to Sun Chips as those are very high in omega-6 fatty acids which increase the risk of obesity, inflammation, cardiovascular disease, cancer, and autoimmune diseases.