Kraft Lawsuit for its Avacado-less Guacamole

[StClone]

What has happened to food and drug safety in recent years?

Kraft is calling a dip Guacalmole while it contains 2% Avacados. So welcome to the modern food web extending from CEOs making millions as consumers eat food not fit to be served.


Kraft: Fake Guacamole Lawsuit


If Kraft could make peanut butter with no peanuts in it, you can bet they would. The LA TImes is reporting that a California woman is suing Kraft because their "Guacamole" doesn't have enough avacado.

In fact, Kraft's guacamole contains less than 2% avacado.

""We think customers understand that it isn't made from avocado," said Claire Regan, Kraft Foods' vice president of corporate affairs."

So who is suing? "Brenda Lifsey, the plaintiff, said she made a three-layer dip with Kraft guacamole last year only to discover that it contained almost none of the ingredient she most expected: avocado.
"It just didn't taste avocadoey," said Lifsey, who identified herself as a federal employee who lives in Los Angeles. "I looked at the ingredients and found there was almost no avocado in it."

...more at...

http://consumerist.com/consumer/guacamole/kraft-fake-guacamole-lawsuit-218457.php

[jgraz]

1. Rethugs will make her the next poster child for tort reform

And just like the McDonalds coffee woman, she has a pretty damn good point.

[yorgatron]

5. why won't tort reform Rs let me throw scalding hot coffee on them,

to prove how harmless it really is? :shrug:

[gollygee]

2. That's interesting

it isn't guacamole. They should have called it "guacamole-flavored paste" or something.

[Warpy]

3. Exactly, just like noodles have to be called something else

when they're made without eggs.

You can make a decent guacamole substitute from a lot of things. Pureed peas make a tolerable one. Just don't call it "guacamole" or your guests will have a nasty surprise. Just label it "dip" and they'll like it.

[progdonkey]

8. like "juice" vs. "juice drink"

sounds good. :thumbsup:

[depakid]

11. Accuracy in labelling would be "high fructose corn syrup cocktail"

because that's exactly what it is. Unhealthy crap DECEPTIVELY packaged as something good for families and kids.

I'd like to see some consumer groups air some ads (like the milk ones) that said "got diabetes?" (Of course, the corporate media would never allow them on- because willfully they're complicit in the deceptions).

I hope kraft loses this one big- and that it inspires hundreds of similar suits.

[Manifestor_of_Light]

22. I only buy 100% juice, not that sugary stuff

I read labels and make sure it says 100% juice.

[SpiralHawk]

132. Like "food" Vs. "food product"

Yuck. Food Product is the republicon crap served up by corporate cronies.

[Quantess]

42. They could just add a "y" and call it "Guacamoley"

...like fake chocolate is "chocolatey".
Or, "I Can't Believe It's Not Guacamole!"

There's just no substitute for homemade guacamole.:9

[Goblinmonger]

45. And, really

how frickin' hard is it to make guacamole. OK, I make some that is better than others because I have perfected it over the years, but even a troll can make fresh guacamole that is much, much better than that shit in a tub you get at stores.

[Liberal Veteran]

61. How bout something more phonetic like "Gwa-ca-moly"?

:D

[charlie]

76. Or just Whack-a-mole

Then we can at least credit them with honesty about their contempt. Made with fresh AvoCaca^{TM, pat pending}

[phylny]

136. "I Can't Believe It's Not Guacamole!"

You gave me the first laugh of my day.

[Xipe Totec]

4. I'm more interested in knowing

what they ACTUALLY used instead of avocado....


On second thought, maybe I DON'T want to know :scared:












:hide:

MOMMY!

[Homer Wells]

71. Soylent Green?????

:puke: :puke: :spray:

[Paulie]

99. Sure, that way it can be labeled 100% natural!

:hurts:

[Goblinmonger]

110. Best. Response. On thread. n/t

[babylonsister]

6. ""We think customers understand that it isn't made from avocado" ???

Then why the hell are you calling it guacamole? What IS it made of/with?

[Bluebear]

7. "We think customers understand that it isn't made from avocado,"

Uh, no we will NOT understand that.

[ayeshahaqqiqa]

9. the thing that got me

in reading the article and comments was that the Kraft "guacamole" contained a large amount of partially hydrogenated fats, also known as trans fats, which are harmful to your health.

[gollygee]

12. Yeah good point

doesn't guacamole have a lot of the "good fat" in it?

My daughter loves guacamole and I'm always happy to give her food to dip veggies in because I want her to eat veggies. It's pretty easy to make so I just make it. But I could see a mom of a young child who doesn't have the time I have or whatever buying this assuming she was giving her kid avocado when in fact she was giving the kid a bunch of trans fats.

Labeling is important and isn't a light matter. If it says it's something, it should be that.

[WinkyDink]

100. The operative word, with an avocado, is "fat".

[gollygee]

108. But not all fat is the same

and young children need fat. But not trans fats for goodness sake.

[connecticut yankee]

10. It's the corporate creed -- "Profits above all"

I used to work in Product Management for a large International food corporation.

Everything was directed towards the bottom line, and wherever they could shave costs and increase profits they did. They had no qualms about substituting artificial ingredients for natural and doctoring the formulations to approximate the taste, hoping the consumer wouldn't notice, or at least accept it.

They had no ethics whatever. This was thirty years ago, and they've probably gotten worse.

[silverweb]

13. Kraft is owned by Altria... formerly called Philip Morris.

Boycott their products and don't trust anything they tell you!

Deception and obfuscation are the norm.

[Another Bill C.]

14. Check your "ice cream" label

I bought some ice cream sandwiches. When I looked at the ingredients, cream wasn't listed. It was made of skim milk, whey, caseinate, hydrolized milk proteins, etc. — but no cream.

I learned that the law allows this. http://a257.g.akamaitech.net/7/257/2422/14mar20010800/edocket.access.gpo.gov/cfr_2003/aprqtr/21cfr135.110.htm">Ice cream defined

[gollygee]

16. Well at least it's a dairy product

I guess I would assume that ice cream was made at least mainly out of milk. Now if I found out it was made out of some soy product that hopefully tasted like a dairy product, I'd feel like I'd been duped.

[SharonAnn]

38. Some are not made mainly out of milk. Lots of seaweed in some of them.

Check the labels.

[elehhhhna]

15. YUM! Here's the recipe!

The guacamole sold by Kraft Foods Inc., one of the bestselling avocado dips in the nation, includes modified food starch, hefty amounts of coconut and soybean oils, and a dose of food coloring.

http://www.latimes.com/business/la-fi-fakeguac30nov30,0,3517275,full.story?coll=la-home-headlines

REAL Guac:

3 avocados
small onion
small tomato
juice of 1-2 limes
seasonings of your choice

chop, mix, eat

YAY!

[MazeRat7]

19. see post #18 for a slightly different recipe....

adding diced onions would be good... I should try that next time.
Also, I too add lime if I expect the dip to sit out for a while and want to avoid "browning"...

Thanks,
MZr7

[elehhhhna]

21. the sour cream is a great idea!

I'll eat anything with sour cream or marinara sauce on it.

Must get avocados tomorrow.

[MazeRat7]

24. I have to laugh.... only us Texans would be so passionate about our Tex-Mex....

I'm going down to the kitchen now.. I'm pretty sure we have a couple of ripe ones just waiting to be part of my dinner....

Peace.

MZr7

[Raksha]

31. You're not the only ones! Here in California, we also take guacamole

VERY seriously. It really is "holy guacamole" to us. So what Altria did isn't just unethical--it's a friggin' sacrilege!

[MazeRat7]

39. I stand corrected... I should have included CA, AZ, and NM in that list.... *grin. -nt

[jgraz]

33. posted in wrong place -- bush sucks

Replacing this post with a happy, life-affriming message: BUSH SUCKS ASS.

[notadmblnd]

122. if you leave a pit from the avacado in the dip.. that will aso prevent it

from turning brown and you can eliminate the lemon juice.

[jgraz]

32. You forgot the bacon!

Seriously, there is no greater pleasure than guacamole made with bacon. My friends call it Crackamole due to its addictive properties. I've actually converted a couple of vegetarians with this recipe.

Like most of my favorite recipes, it's based on an article from Cook's Illustrated.

Guacamole with Bacon, Scallions, and Tomato

Make sure you have all your ingredients diced and ready before you peel the first avocado. This keeps any possible browning to a minimum.

Makes 5 to 6 cups
6 medium avocados (preferably Hass)
6 large scallions , thinly sliced (about 2/3 cup)
2-3 medium cloves garlic, minced
2 jalapeño chiles, minced (2-3 teaspoons)
1-2 serrano chiles, minced fine (add more if you like it spicey)
1/2 cup minced fresh cilantro leaves
1 tsp kosher salt (or 1/2 tsp fine-grained sea salt)
1 1/2 tsp toasted cumin seeds, ground fine (toast in a dry pan until fragrant, then grind in a spice mill or mortar)
3/4 to 1 lb bacon, cooked crisp, drained, and crumbled, reserving 1 tbs rendered fat
1 medium tomato, seeded and diced small
Juice of 1 medium lime (if you're considering using bottled lime juice, you don't deserve this recipe)

1. Halve two avocados, remove pits, and scoop flesh into medium bowl. Use a potato masher or large fork to mash flesh lightly with scallions, garlic, jalapeño, salt, cumin, crumbled bacon and rendered fat until just combined.


2. Halve and pit remaining four avocados, scoop out flesh in one piece, and cube. Gently add the cubed avocados to the mashed avocado mixture.


3. Sprinkle lime juice over diced avocado, add diced tomatoes and cilantro to the bowl.


4. Mix entire contents of bowl lightly with rubber spatula until combined but still chunky. Adjust seasoning with salt, if necessary, and serve. (Can be covered with plastic wrap, pressed directly onto surface of mixture, and refrigerated up to one day. Return guacamole to room temperature, removing plastic wrap at the last moment, before serving).

[Oilwellian]

52. Mmm mmm mmm

Indeed it is an art to make the ultimate guacamole. My recipe is very similar to the one you posted but the cilantro leaves are a new twist as well as using cumino seeds. I can't wait to try it. I also use cumino seed in a taco meat to die for and the flavor is wonderful. The lime is key in keeping down the natural browning of the avocado once it hits air. It's important to keep it air tight until serving time.

Also, having roots in South Texas, I cringe when I read of cutting guacamole with sour cream. It overpowers the flavor of the avocado and destroys the delectable taste of the pure fruit. :D

[jgraz]

78. Cumin is a key element in Guac's addictive properties

I've left out both the bacon and the cliantro (the former for vegetarian friends and the latter out of simple forgetfulness), and the guacamole is still pretty damned good. But the cumin is the soul of the recipe -- forget that and you pretty much have a bowl of mashed avocado. It's still pretty good, but it doesn't approach the transcendent taste orgasm of the original dish.

Good luck -- i hope you like it. Try to make it with friends around so you don't end up eating the whole batch yourself.

[elehhhhna]

113. YEP! And it's cheaper if you buy it in the Spanish section

labelled "Cominos"

[jgraz]

115. Cheaper yes, but I try to stick to the organic stuff

Aside from being nicer to the environment, it's usually a lot higher quality: bigger seeds, far fewer stems and a lot more flavor.

[elehhhhna]

116. Seeds, stems...are we talking about the same herb?

LOL

[jgraz]

120. we are, unless you're buying the powdered version

If that's the case, you owe it to yourself to buy the whole seeds and toast and grind them yourself. Totally worth it.

[K8-EEE]

90. K8-EEE'S EZ 'FOOD OF THE GODS' GUACAMOLE!

Super EZ! First you mix about half a cup of salsa verde (bottled green sauce works fine, even the La Victoria green taco sauce, great) you mix that with three cloves of pressed garlic, into that you smash up 2 haas avocados and a squeeze of lime, top with a chopped tomato and diced green onions. DELICIOSO!!

The only "trick" is to never, ever attempt it without perfectly ripe avocados, and they need to be the slightly bumpy Haas variety, the smooth skinned ones are not buttery enough and have a stringy texture.

I made this for our traditional first course Xmas dinner, chips/salsa/guacamole, there is NONE LEFT! I MEAN NONE! And I made a ton of it too.

[K8-EEE]

91. Oh and never, ever use a food processor on the guac!

Use a fork and you want to keep some texture in it, omg, that's an east coast thing where they sort of put it in the blender?? WITH MAYONNAISE OR SOMETHING???? When I got a load of that I figured out why a lot of people from there think they don't like it!

[BronxBoy]

17. Jesus

How fucking lazy do you have to be not to even ATTEMPT to make your own guacamole?

Anybody who expects guacamole out of a fucking box deserves whatever they get!

[brer cat]

23. Agreed! It's amazing what some people will

do to avoid a few minutes in the kitchen. I have a niece by marriage who buys frozen grilled cheese sandwiches to feed her child! Yes, she's republican.

[gollygee]

26. Frozen grilled cheese sandwiches?

How long does it take to make a grilled cheese sandwich?

Though they have those frozen PB&J sandwiches too, don't they? It's got to take longer to defrost it or whatever you have to do to eat it than it would take to spread some PB and some J on some bread.

[K8-EEE]

92. Those frozen pb&j sandwiches slay me!!

I can't fucking believe those things....have you ever read the ingredients on them?? It's like the whole science lab in the damned thing.

Another question mark for me: microwave pancakes. Pancakes are like, mix the dry stuff, mix the wet stuff, pour it in the pan, voila.

[MazeRat7]

18. Well I hope she doesn't buy a "McRib" anytime soon.....

The poor clueless soul will have a fit....

Here is a hint...

Buy 4 avocados, peel and pit.
Mix with 2 diced roma tomatoes, some Picante sauce, garlic salt, and sour cream...

Guess what.... "REAL Guacamole dip".... no guessing. :shrug:


MZr7

[jgraz]

35. Just to prove we DUers can debate anything...

MazeRat! Canned picante sauce??? Garlic SALT????

Avocados are sacred things. Take a bit more time and use fresh ingredients -- you'll be glad you did. See post #32 for a "from scratch" recipe.

Plus sour cream makes the guac texture kind of gloppy and mutes the fresh avocado flavor. So there!!! :P

[Viva_La_Revolution]

60. try cream cheese instead of the sour cream

yummy. :)

[madeline_con]

121. Omit the sour cream. n/t

[Neecy]

20. I had this 'guacamole' exactly once

Usually I make my own, but on this particular weekend I was in a rush and into the shopping cart it went. I took it over for a family barbeque type thing and set it out with some Tostitos and wow, was I humiliated.

It was like eating flavorless green goo. People took one taste of it and stayed away from it thereafter. Almost the whole thing was left at the end of the afternoon, and I just pitched it.

What's funny is that for little more than that tub of goo cost I could have made a really good guac from fresh ingredients. Lesson learned.

[originalpckelly]

25. I know, I usually buy this other kind...

of guacamole, but I couldn't find it. Lo and behold, there was this shit. I bought it. I ate some. I regretted it.

OMG!

That stuff is so fucking fake!

And to those who are so critical of those who buy guacamole, get over yourselves. My GOD! You need a life if you are being self-righteous about guacamole.

[KansDem]

27. They need to call this "Fauxcamole"

But I suppose people wouldn't buy it then...

on edited: At 2% "real stuff," why even try?

[gollygee]

29. ROFL How about "Mock Guac" ? :D

They could have a contest to come up with a new name

[Neshanic]

28. Reason why Kraft plant is next to Glidden caulk plant.

[zonkers]

30. Good for her. Me, I'd just bypass the Kraft dip, chalk it up to experience and mash up a few Haas

Avocados into a yummy dip.

[pitohui]

34. this isn't a safety issue, it's a truth in labeling issue

selling a product as guacamole that contains so little avocado is fraud and the company should be penalized financially for the fraud

seems pretty basic to me

[StClone]

36. Narrowly defined, yes

But the crap that replaced a healthy food, Guacamole, was wholly unhealthy. I think there was a "tint it olive, add a shot of flavoring call it Gauc and make some money...consumer be damned" mentality.

[pitohui]

37. ok i'll accept that answer

fair enough

either way, in my humble opinion, kraft committed a fraud and sold something that was not as it was represented

[BlueStorm]

40. I hate fake stuff...

Unfortunately because of my funds I often have to get processed shit.

But man, when it comes to guacamole, no, that has to be fresh made. Though of course I often use the prepackaged guacomole seasonings. My mom can make a mean guacomole dip as well as my sister's friend. My sis's friends adds jalapeno peppers to hers and man is it spicy!!!


Blue

[BlooInBloo]

41. Did it SAY it had avocado in it?

[pitohui]

43. yes it did

it was labeled "guacamole," most people with a first grade reading level of english or spanish know that guacomole is mashed avocado

next question?

[Liberal Veteran]

46. Exactly.....

I don't want buy guacamole that is 98% NOT guacamole.

It would be like buying Sauerkraut that only contained 2% cabbage. Sauerkraut IS fermented cabbage. Guacamole IS mashed up avocados.

[Name removed]

50. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[uppityperson]

44. Link to Kraft Product

http://www.kraftfoods.com/main.aspx?s=product&m=product/Product_display&Site=1&Product=2100061389

Ingredients: WATER, PARTIALLY HYDROGENATED COCONUT AND SOYBEAN OIL, CORN SYRUP, WHEY PROTEIN CONCENTRATE (FROM MILK), FOOD STARCH MODIFIED, CONTAINS LESS THAN 2% OF POTATOES, SALT, AVOCADO, DEFATTED SOY FLOUR, MONOSODIUM GLUTAMATE, TOMATOES, SODIUM CASEINATE, VINEGAR, LACTIC ACID, ONIONS, PARTIALLY HYDROGENATED SOYBEAN OIL, GELATIN, XANTHAN GUM, CAROB BEAN GUM, MONO- AND DIGLYCERIDES, SPICE, WITH SODIUM BENZOATE AND POTASSIUM SORBATE AS PRESERVATIVES, GARLIC, SODIUM PHOSPHATE, CITRIC ACID, YELLOW 6, YELLOW 5, ARTIFICIAL FLAVOR, BLUE 1, ARTIFICIAL COLOR.

[Neshanic]

48. Please use or consume product in well ventilated area.

[Liberal Veteran]

49. Hmmm.....look what happens when you replace Happy Fun Ball with Kraft Guacamole

• Warning: Pregnant women, the elderly and children under 10 should avoid prolonged exposure to Kraft Guacamole Dip.
• Caution: Kraft Guacamole Dip may suddenly accelerate to dangerous speeds.
• Kraft Guacamole Dip Contains a liquid core, which, if exposed due to rupture, should not be touched, inhaled, or looked at.
• Do not use Kraft Guacamole Dip on concrete.

Discontinue use of Kraft Guacamole Dip if any of the following occurs:
• Itching
• Vertigo
• Dizziness
• Tingling in extremities
• Loss of balance or coordination
• Slurred speech
• Temporary blindness
• Profuse sweating
• Heart palpitations

If Kraft Guacamole Dip begins to smoke, get away immediately. Seek shelter and cover head.
Kraft Guacamole Dip may stick to certain types of skin.
When not in use, Kraft Guacamole Dip should be returned to its special container and kept under refrigeration...
Failure to do so relieves the makers of Kraft Guacamole Dip, Kraft Foods Incorporated, and its parent company Altria, of any and all liability.
Ingredients of Kraft Guacamole Dip include an unknown glowing substance which fell to Earth, presumably from outer space.
Kraft Guacamole Dip has been shipped to our troops in Saudi Arabia and is also being dropped by our warplanes on Iraq.
Do not taunt Kraft Guacamole Dip.
Kraft Guacamole Dip comes with a lifetime guarantee.

[Neshanic]

51. ROTFLMAO!

[Quantess]

58. LOL! And, you'll probably need to stay in a well ventilated area

for the next few hours after eating it!:rofl:

[BlooInBloo]

54. I'm sorry - I missed the part where it claimed to be mostly avocado....

... Could you please show us THAT side of the container?

Thanks!

[Liberal Veteran]

57. I think the term "GUACAMOLE" covers that part.

If I see a box that says "OATMEAL", I expect that a significant portion of the product is OATS.

[BlooInBloo]

63. Are you under the impression that "guacamole" is spanish for avocado?

[Liberal Veteran]

65. Um....almost.

The name guacamole comes from Mexican Spanish via Nahuatl AhuacamOlli, from Ahuacatl (="avocado") + mOlli (="sauce").


Or maybe the dictionary version of it: A thick paste of mashed avocado, often combined with citrus juice, onion, and seasonings and usually served as a dip or in salads.

[BlooInBloo]

68. So... no is the answer. So it's NOT like "oatmeal". Sheesh....

... I wish DUers cared about simple truth.

"Avocado" is NOT part of the name "guacamole" - by contrast with "oat" in "oatmeal".
"Guacamole" is NOT Spanish for "avocado".
The container doesn't SAY anything like "made primarily with avocado".
The company in question has been KNOWN to make synthetic foods for DECADES (a la cheese whiz).

And yet DUers still claim - with a self-righteous straight face - that Kraft claims that it's made primarily with avocado. As far as I can tell, that's just a flat lie. I've yet to see Kraft claim that anywhere.

They even go so far as to bring in a language that practically NO American has even heard of in order to "bolster" their claim about what "guacamole" REALLY means! LOLOL!

You guys slay me - you really do.

[Neshanic]

70. "Madge your dipping in it AND soaking in it!"

gua·ca·mo·le < gwkə mṓlee, gwkə mṓ lày >


noun

Definition:

mashed avocado: avocado mashed or puréed with tomato and lightly spiced with chili, served as a dip or as an accompaniment to some Mexican-style dishes

[Liberal Veteran]

73. Thanks for the lecture.....

I, however, disagree.

As a consumer who works a full time job, tries to keep my house clean, get some exercise, and prepare healthy meals to offset some of the downsides to taking three antivirals that have sent my cholesterol soaring and left me barely able to maintain a healthy weight despite being on steroids and/or human growth hormone, I sometimes simply don't have the time OR the energy to always buy and prepare foods from scratch even though I am a more than passable cook. So if I walk into a store, I'd like to think that the product that is displayed on the shelf, bears a passing resemblance in ingredients, if not taste, to the same dish prepared at home.

If I pick up a container of "Tofu".....I expect it to be made from bean curd, not wheat gluten. If I pick up a can of succotash, I expect it to contain CORN and LIMA BEANS as the main ingredients.....not corn-flavored wheat husks or some shit.

And Cheez Whiz is not spelled Cheese Whiz for a reason.

Is it REALLY too much to ask that if you market a product that it would contain pretty much the same kinds of ingredients that are the base of that food item in pretty much the same proportions (give or take a few percent here and there) that you would expect if you made it at home?

[BlooInBloo]

77. What you expect and what THEY SAY are not the same thing....

... I don't know why that's SOOOOOO difficult for DUers to understand.

Companies are liable for what THEY SAY.

NOT for what YOU EXPECT.

I just don't see what the difficulty with this is.


EDIT: And you're EXACTLY right on the cheez whiz (or however it's spelled). The pity is that you don't (more likely dishonestly refuse) to see how that invalidates what you (purport to) believe about the guacamole issue.

[Liberal Veteran]

79. And yet every recipe and definition you can find for "guacamole"....

....up to and including the actual origins of the words seems to indicate that the PRIMARY ingredient in it is....GASP....avocados.

[BlooInBloo]

80. LOL! If all you have is the ancient native american language... You'd best...

... save the lawyers' fees - lol!!!

[Liberal Veteran]

82. So your contention is that any pre-prepared food product that has a foreign name origin...

....can be made out of anything, I invite you try some of my congealed, bleached, and packaged cat shit I whipped up and stuck a Tofu label on it.

I mean, just because tofu means "bean curd" in Chinese doesn't mean it should actually contain substantial amounts of "bean curd".

[BlooInBloo]

85. Why you insist on lying about "my contention" is beyond me....

... I said nothing about tofu. I said nothing about "any pre-prepared food". I didn't. You say I did, which is simply false. Much like you saying Kraft SAID there was avocado in their product. As far as what has been show thus far, they haven't.

I have no problem with hating the product itself - I myself can't remotely imagine purchasing it. But suing them for saying something they simply didn't say? That's just plain dishonest, and is presumably nothing more than an effort to save the public from their own stupidity.

Corporations do PLENTY of GENUINE wrongs. We do our cause against corporations no good by bleating on like lying whiny fools about small-potatoes.

Oh no - a cookie! A cookie without flour! Clutch the pearls! GASP! Sue them! SUE THEM!!!!!

They didn't SAY it was primarily avocado. THAT'S my contention. To continue to claim *I* said anything else is to continue lying. Do what you will.


EDIT: I can, of course, be shown wrong in my contention. Here's just *one* way: A screenshot of their container with the words "This product is primarily avocado" on it.

[Liberal Veteran]

101. I am more than bemused by your defense of bad labeling laws...

....that allow companies like Kraft to pass off a food product as something other than what it really is.

Several posters, including myself, have pointed out that the word guacamole etymologically means avocado paste/sauce and that in the common vernacular here means indicates avocado yet you insist that somehow the entire world except you and Kraft Foods are idiots because they assume a product labeled "GUACAMOLE" contain avocados.

Sorry, but you are defending what is marketing a product as something other than what it is understood to be and perpetuating a system where people have to spend hours reading every single label (and while you may have all the free time in the world, many of us don't).

So where do you draw the line?

If your contention is that one can't assume guacamole is primarily made of avocados, then one can infer that you would also agree that one can't assume that something labeled "TOFU" has significant amounts of bean curd.

What's would be the difference between labeling something guacamole that contains an insignificant amount of avocado and labeling something tofu that doesn't contain a significant amount of bean curd or labeling something sauerkraut that contained an insignificant amount of cabbage?

That's not a lie, it is merely a logical conclusion based on the argument you put forth in defense of Kraft.

[Name removed]

104. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[uppityperson]

130. so if a word came from an ancient native american language, it is

not of any use?

[charlie]

81. Yeah, guacamole is avocado

the same way foie gras isn't goat spleen. Kraft's pretty skeezy. Remarkably, Herr's is even worse. It only contains "avocado powder" in amounts so miniscule, it's listed below the yellow and blue dyes:

http://www.cspinet.org/new/200304251.html

And take a gander at the packaging:

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/images/B00061ETRS/ref=dp_image_0/102-9661608-8352946

[Liberal Veteran]

83. Wow....who would think that with an avocado prominently displayed on the label...

.....that the product might actually CONTAIN significant amounts of avocado?

[BlooInBloo]

86. From Kraft? Who would be STUPID enough to think that when it doesn't SAY so?

I guess that's a self-answering question.

[Beaverhausen]

87. If you think DUers are so STUPID why are you still here?

seriously. Why are you here?

[BlooInBloo]

95. Why are you here? What's the point of such inane questions? lol!

EDIT: Actually, I shouldn't play dumb, lest I become that which I hate. Your (pl) point is clear: to drive me off. Lotsa luck.

[Reterr]

88. Yes we are all stupid

You on the other hand are dazzling us all by the minute with your brilliant arguments about how it is unreasonable for consumers to assume that guacamole would be made of ...gasp....avocadoes :eyes:.

This isn't about Kraft and it isn't "small potatoes"-its about the larger issue regarding how government agencies like the EPA, USDA and FDA are largely corrupt, inefficient, incompetent and meaningless by now.

(And seriously mate-lose the "lolol"-The only people who use it with this frequency are 15yo Brittney fans.)

[gollygee]

98. Consumers shouldn't have to do that much second-guessing

"OK well it says guacamole, which is made of avocado, BUT it's made by Kraft, so it probably doesn't have avocado . . ."

The fact is that not all people are smart, and people who aren't smart deserve to have consumer labels that don't mislead them too.

[uppityperson]

126. If you think we DUers are so stupid, why are you here?

Seriously. Can you answer this? Will you? Can you answer more beyond asking more questions? Simply answer, why are you here is you think we are so stupid?

[demobabe]

89. Actually, it is EXACTLY like "Oatmeal"

The word guacamole comes from American Spanish, from Nahuatl "ahuacamolli" : ahuacatl, avocado + molli, sauce, paste.

So "guacamole" translated literally means "avocado sauce/paste" much like oatmeal is "oat meal."

And that's the simple truth. ;)

More info from Answers.com:
The history of avocado takes us back to the Aztecs and their language, Nahuatl, which contained the word ahuacatl meaning both “fruit of the avocado tree” and “testicle.” The word ahuacatl was compounded with others, as in ahuacamolli, meaning “avocado soup or sauce,” from which the Spanish-Mexican word guacamole derives. In trying to pronounce ahuacatl, the Spanish who found the fruit and its Nahuatl name in Mexico came up with aguacate, but other Spanish speakers substituted the form avocado for the Nahuatl word because ahuacatl sounded like the early Spanish word avocado (now abogado), meaning “lawyer.” In borrowing the Spanish avocado, first recorded in English in 1697 in the compound avogato pear (with a spelling that probably reflects Spanish pronunciation), we have lost some traces of the more interesting Nahuatl word.

[BlooInBloo]

94. What is "American Spanish"?

And no - Spanish for "avocado" is NOT whateverthehellyouwrote.

[demobabe]

96. Derives from Aztec and their language Nahuatl

Their word for avocado paste derived into "guacamole" by way of the Mexicans - see my previous post which I added some more information.

So it's "American Spanish" because it derived into a word here, not Spain.

Next you're going to tell me that the Aztecs didn't exist, right?

[Name removed]

105. Deleted message

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[Name removed]

112. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[demobabe]

117. You're not very familiar with language apparently...

Because if you were, you wouldn't be arguing here.

You take a Mexican, plop him in Spain, and hes going to tell you they talk differently than he does. They're still speaking Spanish and they can still understand each other, but there are differences.

Just like we hear differences in the way Brits talk...

Language is regional, and the addition of the word "guacamole" happened on this continent by way of Aztecs and Mexicans. It didn't originate in Europe.

Call it whatever you want.

[Retrograde]

125. "American Spanish"

is the Spanish spoken in America - Mexico, Argentina, Peru, Columbia, etc. It's similar to but not exactly the same as the Castilian Spanish spoken in Spain. It's something like the differences between the English spoken in England and that spoken in the U.S. Like American English, it's based on regional dialects and influenced by Native words. That's a gross oversimplification, of course, but there is such a thing as American Spanish. Latin American Spanish is a more common term, although my Spanish-English dictionary calls them "americanismos".

Enough pendantry. Back to the original argument: I, as a reasonable person, expect packaged guacamole to be predominantly avacodos because that's what it is in this former part of Mexico. Being from Kraft, I'd expect a boatload of other stuff to make it bland and shelf-stable.

Bacon in guacamole? Might be interesting, but that's not guacamole. Next thing you know people will start adding chicken and other stuff to Caesar salads and insist they're still Caesar salads :)

[uppityperson]

127. why do you keep arguing that "avacado" isn't spanish?

wtf does what language it is from have to do with anything?

[Neshanic]

66. I don't think so, but have not had guacamole made with horse shit.

Or at least I don't remember. I would of been a smart modern shopper and steered clear of "horseshit guacamole"....even if it was only 2% pure farm fresh horseshit.

[Liberal Veteran]

67. Well...if it were 98% avocados and 2% horseshit....

....then it really would be guacamole. Really shitty guacamole (pun intended), but still guacamole.

[BlooInBloo]

69. No, you "wouldn't of" been a smart shopper no matter *what* you bought. ROFLMAO!!!

[piedmont]

134. Why be so insulting?

What have you achieved excepted making yourself look exceedingly arrogant?

When I think of butter, I have in mind a product made from milk and milk fat. There are imitations that contain very little or no milk, but they're required to be labeled "margarine." There are many other examples of labeling requirements such as this. What's wrong with applying that to guacamole? You've offered nothing but insults and fallacious arguments throughout this thread. Try again.

[jgraz]

119. ROFL -- you guys really need to pay attention to labeling

Don't you know that BlooInBloo is actually ancient Mayan for "bullshit attention-seeking troll"?

[uppityperson]

128. indeed

alert is my friend

[Occulus]

111. in other words

their product contains less than 2% real dip and more than 98% FILLERS.

That takes a real set of brass ones to try to pass off as "guacamole"...

[nicknameless]

47. That's worse than "fat-free half and half"

Guacamole, by definition, contains avocado. From Wiki:
The name guacamole comes from Mexican Spanish via Nahuatl AhuacamOlli, from Ahuacatl (="avocado") + mOlli (="sauce").

Half and half, by definition, is supposed to be 1/2 milk and 1/2 cream.
The "fat free" version, obviously, doesn't match the definition.

[LittleClarkie]

53. Just like Wendy's can't call their Frosty a milkshake

as it has no milk in it, then perhaps Kraft should have to call their dip a guac flavored dip.

But then I never consider those kinds of guac to be the real thing. They're more sour cream than anything. The only think avacado-y about them is their color.

[BlooInBloo]

55. You just showed why the defense should win, and don't seem to realize it.

[LittleClarkie]

75. Care to illuminate?

?

[demobabe]

93. You would have to taste it first

And from the Kraft packaging that calls it "Guacamole" - not "Guacamole Flavor," I'd expect it to contain a significant amount of avocado, especially since it's refrigerated.

I would be very disappointed to bring that home and open it up to find basically flavored Crisco to dip my chips into.

[Name removed]

106. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[demobabe]

124. You mean to tell me

...you've never been fooled by a label? Never been in a rush so you just grabbed something quickly?

I read labels all the time, but when I'm shopping, often I'd be thinking something like "What do I need for the party - sodas, chips, some dips for the chips... salsa? oh, guacamole..."

Granted I would be unlikely to buy the Kraft stuff as so many people pointed out here - Guac is easy to make.

But if I were in a real rush, I might just run through the store and grab it and some chips thinking I'd bought real Guacamole.

And Kraft, yes it's a big corporation, yes, it's Altria... but these folks also make things like:

Hummus made from chickpeas and olive oil
Philadelphia Cream Cheese
Cream of Wheat
Baker's Chocolate
Grey Poupon Mustard
Sour Cream
Cottage Cheese
Cool Whip
Shredded Wheat Cereal

So to say Kraft just makes over processed junk food isn't accurate. And good luck avoiding Kraft entirely (and I know you Whole Foods and coop folks say "but I do!" and good for you - keep it up).

The Kraft folks should at least be required to change the labeling to say "Guacamole Flavored" instead of calling it something it isn't: Guacamole.

The food labeling battle is a constant one, and there are laws for our protection that dictate how a product can be positioned. I remember when all the cans of "Franks and Beans" had to be renamed to "Beans and Franks" because labeling laws were changed so the correct order of ingredients were promoted as part of the main label. Other things like soups had to be relabeled "Chicken flavored" from just "Chicken" if they didn't contain any chicken meat.

And why did they do that? Because consumers were misled into thinking they'd be getting more franks than beans. This is part of corporate responsibility, and we have to hold corporations to some standards. It's not just a matter of "read the fine print." The big print needs to reflect the fine print.

[gollygee]

133. Great post!!

that explains why this is a problem very well. People should be able to look at a label and have a rough idea of what they're buying.

[charlie]

56. Cecil Adams

once illustrated the limits of dodgy advertising by saying you couldn't sell 100% LEAN BEEF Dessicated Corn Husks.

Sounds kind of quaint now. Like the way people used to get peevish over Salisbury Steak.

[Liberal Veteran]

59. Geez....I was wondering when the 100% Lean Beef Dessicated Corn Husks....

....would enter the argument.

I thought maybe I was the only person in the world that got a kick out of the Grape Nuts answer.

[charlie]

62. It's a memorable example, innit?

Cecil's always been a quotable smartass.

[Liberal Veteran]

64. Yep! That it is.

I can't remember how long ago it was I read that one, but it was easily over a decade and a half ago.

[jgraz]

129. Bleah!! There's no MILK in those things????

Ugh. I haven't had one for years, but....ugh. :puke:

Edit: Ha ha !! There IS milk in them. From the Wendy's site:

Original Chocolate Frosty™

Milk, Cream, Sugar, Corn Syrup, Cocoa (processed with alkali), Guar Gum, Mono and Diglycerides, Cellulose Gum, Dextrose, Carrageenan, Calcium Sulfate, Disodium Phosphate, Artificial and Natural Flavor, Vitamin A Palmitate. CONTAINS: MILK.

Still disgusting, but a bit less disgusting.

[NotGivingUp]

72. "...customers understand that it isn't made from avocado"???

now why on earth would we think it's not made from avocado when they are calling it guacamole and guacamole is made from avocado?

[Liberal Veteran]

74. OMG!!! Stop making sense!

You have struck right at the heart of the argument.

[Telly Savalas]

84. This lawsuit is another ploy by Big Guacamole to keep the prices to their dip

artificially high.

[Vinca]

97. And they wonder why there are so many unhealthy Americans.

"a whipped paste made from partially hydrogenated soybean and coconut oils, corn syrup, whey and food starch. Yellow and blue dyes give it the green color." YUCK!

[npincus]

102. 98% WHAT???

sheeeeeit.

[nolabels]

118. It sounds like it's all Krapht out to me too

That beer commercial discussing who or how the chip dip was made will be so much more contextual now :-)

[tsuki]

103. That is why I read the label before I buy. n/t

[slackmaster]

107. What is this "avacado" you write of?

:shrug:

[Javaman]

109. Just like our current administration*, it only contains 2% brains. nt

[mtnester]

114. Whaddya mean customers understand it is not made from avocados?

It says GUACAMOLE on it...that is AVOCADO dip. We assume it IS made with avocados.

That is one of the the stupidest defense statements I have ever heard. Someone needs a "I am stupid as hell" sign to hold up in the town square for a few hours.

Sigh...thanfully I am a food elitist and make my own, simply because I do not trust the "other" stuff they put in it.

[Lurking Dem]

123. Sometimes I buy pre-made guac

I have a lot of trouble with my hands and sometimes I can't cut, mash, or stir anything. But then I buy Calavo which lists as its ingredients:

Fully ripened Hass avocados, red bell peppers, a dash of mild green chiles, onions, jalapeño chiles, salt and seasoning


I don't understand why people don't read labels.

[Initech]

131. Really, you'd think a company that sells powdered cheese would sell guacamole like that?

[JustABozoOnThisBus]

135. Is guacamole just for dipping?

Does any company make guacamole in an aerosol can, like that really good cheese? I think that would be an outstanding food group!

[MilesColtrane]

137. Avacados, fresh garlic cloves, cumin, fresh squeezed lemon juice....

That's it....all you need.

[Lurking Dem]

138. Mitch Hedberg -

I was on a bus and it was the middle of the night. And I had a box of crackers and a can of EZ-Cheese -- but it was the middle of the night so I could not see. So I could not see how much EZ-Cheese I was applying to each cracker. So each bite into the cracker was a surprise as to how much EZ-Cheese I had applied, which makes me believe they should have a glow-in-the-dark version of EZ-Cheese. It's not like the product has any integrity to begin with. If you buy a room temperature cheese that you squeeze out of a can, you probably won't get mad 'cause it the glows-in-the-dark, too.

[NorthernSpy]

139. Does "tort reform" involve defending cheating and false advertising?

If it does, then I think we'd be better off without tort reform. Even having heard all the best-loved frivolous lawsuit horror stories, and I'm still completely unsympathetic to the idea that we need to make it easier for companies to cheat their customers.

Guacamole literally means "avocado paste". A reasonable person would expect anything sold as guacamole to be characterized by its avocado content. A 2% content of a relatively bland bulk ingredient such as avocado is not remotely sufficient to characterize the resulting mixture.

[Stephanie]

140. You left out the best part - the actual ingredients >

Pure poison - artificial trans fats and (I'm presuming) high fructose corn syrup. POISONS created by the food industry for profit.

Kraft's "Guacamole" is essentially, "a whipped paste made from partially hydrogenated soybean and coconut oils, corn syrup, whey and food starch. Yellow and blue dyes give it the green color."

[atommom]

141. Bleah. That should have to be called by another name...

it's not worthy to bear the name of guacamole. :P

[Kazak]

142. *whew* I'm just glad Kraft spared us from the evil that is the avacado...

:eyes: