Product FAQs
Yes. All "organic" and "made with organic" products sold in the U.S. must meet NOP (National Organic Program) standards. For further information regarding the USDA organic requirements, visit www.usda.gov and/or www.qai-inc.com.Back to the top
The holes are part of the manufacturing process to release air for proper packing and shipping of the product. So, the holes are not an indication that the quality has been compromised. They're actually intentional. This is more common with fruit and vegetable products. However, if you are unsure, please contact your local store for quality assurance purposes.Back to the top
No. The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) prohibits the use of hormones in poultry and pork.Back to the top
Please visit the American Egg Board at www.aeb.org.Back to the top
All dairy products that do NOT contain added rBST must put this disclaimer on the packaging label. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) Law requires the disclaimer.
Ingredients are listed on the product in descending order by weight. According to the Federal food-labeling guidelines, if a food contains less than 5 milligrams of sodium or .5 grams of fat per serving, the total value found on the Nutrition Facts Panel is rounded down to zero. And if a product contains less than 2 milligrams of cholesterol per serving, this value will be rounded down to zero. For further information about the Nutrition Facts Panel, check out our How to Read a Nutrition Facts Panel document.
As with all health and safety related issues, we take food allergy concerns very seriously. We strive to ensure that all of our Trader Joe's brand products are labeled with reliable, accurate, and easy to read ingredient statements.
Struvite is a mineral compound. It is formed when minerals found in fish (commonly tuna and salmon) bind together during the canning process. At first glance, it can resemble glass. Upon a closer examination, these crystals are no harder than ordinary table salt. You can generally break the crystals apart with your thumbnail.
Quick release products will disintegrate in less than one hour. Time release products will dissolve continually over approximately six hours, whereas, controlled release means the supplement will dissolve continually over 12 hours. Both time release and controlled release provide longer-term absorption.
According to the FDA, all Dietary Supplements, including protein powders, are not required to list carbohydrates if there is less than 5 milligrams per serving. For more information about our supplements, please check out our brochure on Vitamins and Minerals.
Um...well...no. Sorry (seriously, we are because that would be neat). But they will hopefully make your taste buds tingle and leave you with a happy tummy - and wallet. Way better than being a superhero.
Food Facts
Label Lingo
Coming to terms with...
Serious About Supplements
Interesting Tidbits
If an imported item is labeled "organic", does it meet the same U.S. organic standards?
Why are there perforated holes in some frozen food packages?
Are hormones added to your poultry or pork products?
Where can I get more information about egg care, quality and general notes?
What's the deal with milk containing artificial hormones?
Back to the topExplain how ingredient listing work on the Nutrition Facts Panel
Back to the topWhat are the Allergen Labeling Standards for Trader Joe's Private Label Products?
Trader Joe's strictly adheres to all Federal labeling guidelines. You can be assured that if any of the top eight allergens (milk, eggs, peanuts, tree nuts, fish, shellfish, wheat and soy) are present in our private label products, they will be clearly labeled in familiar terms in our ingredient statements [e.g. casein (milk)]. You can also be certain that if "natural flavors" or "spices" contain any components that are allergens or are derived from allergens, they will be listed separately within the ingredient statement.
In addition, we have voluntarily included information about the manufacturing
process of our products ("Made on shared equipment..." and "Made in a facility
that processes..."). What these statements don't include (there is only so
much room on the label) is that all Trader Joe's private label suppliers follow
Good Manufacturing Practices (GMP's). We work closely with all of the companies
that manufacture our products and require that they are vigilant about minimizing
and monitoring any potential cross contamination risk. Some of the steps taken
to prevent cross contamination include education and training of employees
about allergens, careful labeling and segregation of allergen ingredients,
cleaning of lines between production runs and stringent scheduling of product
runs. Manufacturers may even use alternate days to process products that contain
allergens from those products that do not.
We provide you with all of this information so you can feel confident that you are making informed buying decisions. We want you to feel safe, comfortable and thrilled by with the food choices you are making.
As manufacturers and ingredients can change, we strongly encourage our customers to read ingredient information every time they buy a Trader Joe's brand product (or any product, for that matter).
Want to learn more about food allergies? Check out The Food Allergy & Anaphylaxis Network at www.foodallergy.org.
Back to the top What is the difference between the terms homogenize and pasteurize in dairy (milk) products?
is a process by which the fat globules are broken down and evenly interspersed throughout the liquid to create a uniform product. Milk is typically homogenized, but Trader Joe's also typically carries cream top milk. Cream top milk is not homogenized, and the fat floats to the top because the fat molecules are not mechanically broken down.
Homogenization
is a heat process used to kill any potential food borne pathogens. Our suppliers typically use a temperature of 161 degrees for 15 seconds to kill bacteria.
Pasteurization
Back to the topWhat is the difference between soluble and insoluble fiber?
Soluble fiber dissolves in water and insoluble fiber does not dissolve in water. Soluble fiber is found in foods such as oats, brown rice, seeds, vegetables and fruits and has been shown to have cholesterol-lowering benefits. Insoluble fiber is found in foods such as wheat bran, whole wheat, vegetables and fruit and has shown to reduce the risk of colon cancer.
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What is the difference between saturated, poly-unsaturated and trans fats?
is a triglyceride molecule that contains only single carbon bonds. They can raise your blood cholesterol, which can lead to heart disease. Animal fats found in meat, poultry and whole-milk dairy products are all high in saturated fats.
Saturated fat
is another type of unsaturated fat. It has several double carbon bonds. Polyunsaturated fat is predominant in corn oil, cotton seed oil, safflower oil, sunflower oil, soybean oil and fish. This fat has also been shown to help reduce the risk of heart disease.
Polyunsaturated fat
is a specific kind of fat that is formed when oil manufacturers change a liquid oil into a solid or semi solid fat, such as shortening or margarine. Hydrogen is added to liquid vegetable oil to solidify it. This process is called hydrogenation, and it creates trans fats. Trans fats are also found in nature, but in very small amounts in some animal based foods.
Trans fat
Back to the topWhat is struvite?
Back to the topI see terms like Quick Release, Time Release and Controlled Release on some supplements. What is the difference?
Back to the topAre carbohydrates always listed on the Dietary Supplement Facts panel?
Back to the topWill Trader Joe's products turn me into a superhero, a professional athlete or one of the great brainiacs of humankind?
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