FDA tests found that of the nutrients measured (fat, sodium, vitamins, etc.) 87% of the label statements were accurate. In fact, the accuracy rate for fat content was said to be 94%, just ahead of the 93% accuracy for calories.
Statements on branded products may be largely accurate, but a consumer group questioned the facts shown for products produced locally. Bonnie Liebman of the Center for Science in the Public Interest showed survey results that indicate that locally-produced foods are more likely to misrepresent nutrient content. In one case cited, a New York bakery was selling allegedly fat-free muffins that contained 10 to 20 grams of fat. Thus, Liebman says, consumers "still can't trust claims on foods they get at local bakeries or delis."
