Giant Eagle responds to labeling query

The following information was received from Giant Eagle in response to my query about labeling food that originates in foreign countries.

"Giant Eagle would like to assure you that we are truly dedicated to the quality of our Giant Eagle brand products. We work very closely with our manufacturers on their approval and testing processes for all raw materials used to make Giant Eagle brand products. We do not directly import food products from China for our brand. We do have a handful of suppliers that are using raw materials from China and are working with them specifically to find alternate sources of supply and improving their raw material handling processes.

"Please be assured that we respond as quickly as possible to all new information from the Food and Drug Administration and our suppliers to ensure our products are safe and wholesome."

As an introduction to this letter from Giant Eagle's "Quality Assurance Team," a consumer affairs representative wrote: "... the FDA requires the country of origin of any foreign-made products or ingredients supplied from foreign countries to be listed as such on the product label or packaging."

I'm still looking for a label that will admit that some of the ingredients are from other countries. I especially wonder where those winter-time fruits and vegetables come from - and all the other loose items that bear no label or packaging. These apparently are exempt from the FDA labeling requirement.

Ideally, all food items would carry labels indicating where they were packaged and where the ingredients originated.