Paleo Foundation
{{short description|Organization that certifies food products related to the Paleolithic diet}}
{{Infobox company
| industry = Food Industry
| key_people = {{Unbulleted list|Karen Pendergrass}}
| website = {{url|https://paleofoundation.com}}
}}{{Use American English|date=May 2020}}
The Paleo Foundation is a private American organization that certifies food products related to the Paleolithic and ketogenic diet.
Programs
The organization currently issues a 'Certified Paleo' certification mark,{{Cite web|title=CERTIFIED P PALEO Trademark of Pendergrass, Karen - Registration Number 4767643 - Serial Number 86406733 :: Justia Trademarks|url=http://trademarks.justia.com/864/06/certified-p-86406733.html|website=trademarks.justia.com|language=en|access-date=May 15, 2020}} with a previous iteration called "Paleo Friendly",{{Cite web|title=Should there be a Paleo certification label?|url=https://www.newhope.com/blog/should-there-be-paleo-certification-label|date=November 11, 2013|website=New Hope Network|language=en|access-date=May 16, 2020}} for food products and dietary supplements that meet its standards. By 2018, it had certified food products from various food retailers and companies including Whole Foods,{{Cite web|title=Greenwich company hits Whole Foods Market with paleo-diet friendly ice pops|url=https://www.greenwichtime.com/business/article/Greenwich-company-hits-Whole-Foods-Market-with-5805282.php|last=Gordon|first=Maggie|date=October 7, 2014|website=GreenwichTime|access-date=May 14, 2020}} Walmart,{{Cite web|title=Tastefully Plated Launches New Paleo Friendly Certified Meals {{!}} Markets Insider|url=https://markets.businessinsider.com/news/stocks/tastefully-plated-launches-new-paleo-friendly-certified-meals-1012466583|last=GmbH|first=finanzen net|website=markets.businessinsider.com|access-date=May 14, 2020}} and General Mills.{{Cite web|title=EPIC Provisions sells to General Mills: 'We felt like we couldn't walk away from this opportunity'|url=https://www.foodnavigator-usa.com/Article/2016/01/06/General-Mills-acquires-meat-snacks-maker-EPIC-Provisions|last=foodnavigator-usa.com|website=foodnavigator-usa.com|date=6 January 2016 |language=en-GB|access-date=May 14, 2020}} Recently, the organization also begun certifying food products for its 'Keto Certified'{{Cite web|title=Why 'Keto-Approved' Food Labels are Misleading, According to a Nutritionist|url=https://www.health.com/nutrition/keto-approved-foods-certified-labels|website=Health.com|language=EN|access-date=May 14, 2020}}{{Cite web|title=Keto credentials: Show consumers your product is authentic|url=https://www.newhope.com/business-resources/keto-credentials-show-consumers-your-product-authentic|date=February 5, 2020|website=New Hope Network|language=en|access-date=May 14, 2020}}{{Cite web|title=Continued popularity of keto diet fuels product development|url=https://www.naturalproductsinsider.com/ingredients/continued-popularity-keto-diet-fuels-product-development|date=March 30, 2020|website=Natural Products INSIDER|language=en|access-date=May 14, 2020}}{{Cite web|title=22 Best Keto Snacks to Buy For Fat Loss|url=https://www.msn.com/en-us/health/nutrition/22-best-keto-snacks-to-buy-for-fat-loss/ss-BB171Gh0?li=BBnb7Kw|access-date=2020-07-23|website=www.msn.com}} program.
Standards development
More recently, the organization has described the diet "as a diet based on the types of foods presumed to have been eaten by early humans before the advent of agriculture... These foods included meat and seafood, nuts and seeds, roots and tubers, and fruits and berries. The diet of our ancient Paleolithic ancestors presumably excluded dairy, grains, and highly refined foods."{{Cite web |last=Castrodale |first=Jelisa |date=2020-01-09 |title=Archaelogical Find Suggests That Actual Paleo Diet Included Lots of Carbs |url=https://www.vice.com/en/article/archaelogical-find-suggests-that-actual-paleo-diet-included-lots-of-carbs/ |access-date=2023-05-25 |website=Vice |language=en}} {{Cite web |last=Leiva |first=Courtney |title=What The Hell Is Paleo Skin Care? |url=https://www.refinery29.com/en-us/paleo-skin-care |access-date=2023-05-25 |website=www.refinery29.com |language=en}}
In 2015, its founder, Karen Pendergrass, stated that the organization developed its standards for the Paleo diet based on "current research, archaeological records, paleogenetics, sustainability concerns, proposed health benefits, and input from various leading health experts of the Paleo Movement."{{Cite web |last=foodnavigator-usa.com |title=Paleo certification requests have doubled annually, scheme embraced by 'household names,' says Paleo Foundation |url=https://www.foodnavigator-usa.com/Article/2016/11/29/Paleo-Foundation-Paleo-certification-requests-have-doubled-annually |access-date=May 14, 2020 |website=foodnavigator-usa.com |date=29 November 2016 |language=en-GB}}
Criticism
Many nutrition and law experts have also been critical of such food certification programs, citing fears of arbitrary criteria that lack evidence within the certification standards and the lack of regulation by government agencies. They have since not been investigated.{{Cite web|title=Paleo certification requests have doubled annually, scheme embraced by 'household names,' says Paleo Foundation|url=https://www.foodnavigator-usa.com/Article/2016/11/29/Paleo-Foundation-Paleo-certification-requests-have-doubled-annually|last=foodnavigator-usa.com|website=foodnavigator-usa.com|date=29 November 2016 |language=en-GB|access-date=May 14, 2020}}{{Cite web|title=Is Paleo the New Black?|url=https://www.foodliabilitylaw.com/2015/04/articles/trademark/is-paleo-the-new-black/|date=April 11, 2015|website=Food Liability Law|language=en-US|access-date=May 14, 2020}}
See also
References
{{reflist}}
External links
- [https://paleofoundation.com/ Official website]
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