Source: http://www.startribune.com/lifestyle/taste/12149746.html

The nation's army of pomegranate farmers must be thumbing their noses at their brothers-in-law these days, as pomegranate drinks are now everywhere.

By Al Sicherman, Star Tribune

The nation's army of pomegranate farmers must be thumbing their noses at their brothers-in-law these days, as pomegranate drinks are now everywhere. Based on the pomegranate's high level of antioxidants -- topping that of the blueberry, and exceeded only in fruits you never heard of -- pomegranate is clearly the flavor of the year. And now it seems that pomegranate-blueberry is the flavor combination of the year.

Minute Maid, for example, has expanded its line of "enhanced juices" -- previously consisting of orange juice with your choice of glucosamine (for joint health), plant sterols (for cholesterol reduction) or 16 vitamins and minerals. That line now includes pomegranate blueberry flavored 100 percent juice blend, with vitamins B12, C and E, choline and DHA. (DHA is an omega-3 fatty acid said to be important for both heart and brain. Where have you been?)

The wonder of pomegranates (and blueberries) aside, Mr. Tidbit notes that the front label identifies this as a "pomegranate blueberry flavored blend of five juices," and the contents list identifies them as (in order of prominence) apple, grape, pomegranate, blueberry and raspberry juices, all from concentrates.

You shouldn't be surprised that although the juice is named pomegranate blueberry, those are the third and fourth ingredients. That's the deal in fruit-beverage naming. The key words in "pomegranate blueberry flavored 100-percent juice blend" are "flavored" and "blend."

For another example, the house-brand pomegranate blueberry liquid at one discount supermarket (yes; it's even made it to house brands), identified on the front as "pomegranate blueberry flavored juice blend from concentrate," turns out to be (in order) grape, apple, pomegranate and blueberry juices, all from concentrates. It's cheaper than the Minute-Maid version, but not as cheap as Langers' "pomegranate blueberry juice cocktail in a blend of one other juice from concentrate." That other juice is apple, and it's the least prominent of the three -- but the key word is "cocktail": It's only 27 percent juice.

I was at Wallyhoo, I mean ChinaMart, or commonly known as WalMart last weekend checking to see if they have bare-rooted fruit trees offerings (or has arrived) and their usual citripots and 5-gallon citruses. Probably one of the few things that are not made in China. I then went over to the juice section, and lo and behold, I saw Orchard's Pomegranate-Cranberry and Pomegranate-Blueberry juice. Curiosity got the best of me and went on to read the ingredients. Yes indeedy, although it is labeled 100% juice (well, definition of juice is simply sugar and flavoring, so 100% of this, is 100% defined as is), it is made at least 27% from fruit concentrates. And the fruit concentrates are Pomegranates, Apples, Pears, Grapes, then either Blueberries or Cranberries. I may have misremembered the other fruits, but majority of the listing is not pomegranate nor blueberries nor cranberries. Then it is sweetened with corn syrup and stabilized with citric acid and other chemicals or natural flavorings. However, in very big supersize letters, it is the Pomegranate name that is very prominent, then either the blueberries or cranberries. I believe the actual juices from pomegranates itself would be less than 5% when constituted as a regular serving.

How do we define the truth in labeling here? Clearly they haven't lied anything about it, but it is very misleading compared to what my brains would have quickly concluded. Imagine the 100% juice and then Pomegranate-Blueberry or Pomegranate Cranberry name, only to be disappointed after careful reading of all the listed ingredients. There are other unlisted ingredients in there that the FDA allows these companies to remain unlisted, such as those chemicals to stabilize pH and improve taste quality and whose long term effects on our health are particularaly unknown.