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Center for Science in the Public Interest

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Mission

The Center for Science in the Public Interest (CSPI) is an American not-for-profit corporation that focuses on issues relating to foods and the food services industry. It was founded in 1971 as a consumer advocacy organization. CSPI's mission statement states whose twin missions are to "conduct innovative research and advocacy programs in health and nutrition, and to provide consumers with current, useful information about their health and well-being" and that the CSPI's three main goals are:

  • To provide useful, objective information to the public and policymakers and to conduct research on food, alcohol, health, the environment, and other issues related to science and technology;
  • To represent the citizen's interests before regulatory, judicial and legislative bodies on food, alcohol, health, the environment, and other issues; and
  • To ensure that science and technology are used for the public good and to encourage scientists to engage in public-interest activities.

CSPI's concerns include

Persuant to its mission as stated above, the Center for science in the Public Interest has identified a number of foods as unacceptable: "Chinese [2], Italian [3], Greek [4] and Mexican [5] dishes; oatmeal and peanut butter cookies; pizza and pasta alfredo; soda, diet soda, coffee and tea; tuna, chicken and potato salads; movie popcorn; potato, corn and tortilla chips; french fries; red meat; whole and 2% milk [6]; butter and margarine [7]; mayonnaise; jello; beer, wine and alcoholic drinks; granola bars; candy bars; hot dogs and hamburgers; pretzels; baby food and baby formula; ice cream and salad dressings -- basically, anything with sugar or fat, or processed" [2].

The Center for Science in the Public Interest has identified ten foods people should never eat: Quaker Oats 100% Natural Granola Bugels Contadina Alfredo Sauce Entenmann Frosted Donuts Nissen Cup of Noodles and Shrimp Burge King French Fries Campbell red and White label condensed soups Frito-Lay Wow potato chips Dennys Grand Slam breakfast [3][4] It also alerts its readers to avoid Original Lay's, Ruffles, Cooler Ranch Dorritos, Nacho Cheesier Doritos, Lay’s Mesquite Bar-B-Q, Tostitos, Fat-free Pringles, Fat-free Bar-B-Q Pringles, and Fat-free Sour Cream and Onion Pringles [8].

In addition, the Center for Science in the Public Interest has criticized many, many foods, of which this is only a partial list: [5]: Alfalfa sprouts [9], “Any fried seafood” [10], Apple pies [11], Baby back ribs [12], Baby food [13], Bacon [14], Baked potatoes with sour cream, Baked stuffed shrimp [15], Baklava [16], Beef, Beef burritos [17], Beef chimichangas [18], Beef nachos [19], Beef tacos [20], Beer [21], Belgian waffles [22], Berries, BLT sandwiches [23], Biscuits & gravy [24], Bologna [25], Brie, Brownies [26], Buffalo wings [27], Butter [28], Buttermilk biscuits [29],Caffe latte, Caffe mocha, Caffeine, Candy bars [30], Canned fish, Cantaloupes, Cappuccino, Cereals [31], Cheese [32], Cheese quesadillas [33], Cheesecake [34], Cheese fries [35], Cheese manicotti, Cheese nachos [36], Cheese ravioli, Cheeseburgers [37], Cheesecake[38], Chef's salad with dressing [39], Chicken breast strips [40], Chicken burritos [41], Chicken enchiladas, Chicken fingers [42], Chicken nuggets[43], Chicken pot pies [44], Chicken salad sandwiches [45], Chile rellenos [46], Chimichangas, Chocolate cake, Chocolate candy [47] Chocolate chips, Chocolate mousse, Cinnamon rolls [48], Clams, Condensed soup [49], Condiments [50], Cookie dough, Cookies [51], Corned beef sandwiches [52],, Country fried steak [53], Crackers [54], Cream cheese Cream of broccoli soup, Creamed spinach, Croissants [55], Cupcakes [56], Danish pastries [57], Desserts, Dips, Donuts [58], Egg salad sandwiches [59], Eggnog [60], Eggplant Parmigiana [61], Eggs, Enchiladas [62], Fat-free cakes, Fat-free cookies, Fat-free ice cream, Feta cheese, Fetticcine Alfredo [63], Food coloring, Frappuccino [64] French fries [65], French toast, Fried calamari [66], Fried chicken [67], Fried clams [68], Fried fish [69], Fried mozzarella sticks [70], Fried rice, Fried shrimp, Fried whole onions [71], Frozen dinners [72], Frozen turkey, Fruit cocktails, Fruit drinks, Fruit juice, Fudge brownie sundaes, Garlic bread, General Tso's chicken [73], Granola bars, Greek salads, Grilled cheese sandwiches [74], Gyros, Ham sandwiches [75], Ham & cheese omelettes [76], Hamburgers [77], Home-canned vegetables, Homemade eggnog, Homemade frosting, Hot dogs [78], Hot fudge sundaes, Ice cream [79], Ice cream bars [[80], Ice cream bites [81],Kung pao chicken [82], Lasagna [83], Lettuce, Lo mein, Luncheon meats, Macaroni and cheese [84], Manicotti [85], Margarine, Mashed potatoes [86], Mayonnaise, Meat [87], Meatloaf [88], Meat-stuffed grape leaves, Melons, Microwave popcorn [89], Milk both regular and 2%) [90], Milk shakes [91], Movie popcorn, Muffins [92], Moo shu pork [93], Mushrooms, Mussels, No-chicken broth [94], Oat cereal bars [95], Olestra [96], Omelets, Onion rings [97], Orange beef [98], Oysters, Pancakes [99], Pastries [100], Patty melt [101], Pie [102], Pizza [103], Pork chops [104], Pot pies [105], Potato chips [106], Pork ribs [107], Poultry [108], Pound cake [109], Prime rib, Pudding, Rotisserie turkey, Saccharin, Salad dressings, Salads, Salt [110], Sandwich crackers [111], Sandwiches, Sausage [112], Scones, Seafood [113], Shellfish, Soft drinks [114], Sour cream [115], Spaghetti and meatballs, Steak [116], Steak fajitas [117], Stuffed potato skins, Sugar [118] Sweet and sour pork [119], Taco salad [120], Toaster tarts [121], Tuna salad sandwiches [122], Turkey pot pies [123], Veal [124], Veal Parmigiana, Waffles, White bread [125], and Wine [126].

The Center for Science in the Public Interest has also criticized Greek restaurants [127], Chinese restaurants [128], family restaurants [129], , fast food restaurants [130], Italian restaurants [131], Mexican restaurants [132], sandwich shops, seafood restaurants [133], and steakhouses [134] [6].

The CSPI also runs an Integrity in Science project. Its mission includes "investigate and publicize conflicts of interest and other potentially destructive influences of industry-sponsored science".

Funding

CSPI is a nonprofit institution exempt from federal income tax under Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code. All contributions are tax deductible as provided by law. The CSPI's Our Funding page states that its chief source of income Nutrition Action Healthletter, which has 900,000 paid subscribers. "Private foundation grants make up approximately 5% to 10% of CSPI's annual revenue of $15 million. Nutrition Action Healthletter accepts no advertising, and CSPI accepts no corporate or government grants."

Opponent organisations

CSPI has attracted the attention of groups opposed to further regulation and legislation in the realm of food. One such is the Center for Consumer Freedom (CCF), which receives funds from "restaurants, food companies and more than 1,000 concerned individuals". One CCF tactic has been to register domain names similar to those used by CSPI.

CCF, who had registered the domain name cspinet.com, was ordered in January 2002 to transfer it to the CSPI. See the National Arbitration Forum decision for details.

CCF then registered two domain names, cspinot.com and smartmouth.org. In October 2002, CSPI filed a complaint that was upheld and the two domain names were transferred to the CSPI. For details, see the National Arbitration Forum decision. For CSPI's account, see "Bogus 'Consumer' Group Stripped Of Domain Names".

The CCF now maintains a number of sites, which are a frequently used source of anti-CSPI material: Center for Consumer Freedom, ActivistCash.com, AnimalScam.com, CSPIscam.com, and Fishscam.com.

The Capital Research Center says it is "analyzing organizations that promote the growth of government and in identifying viable private alternatives to government regulatory and entitlement programs". CRC maintains a CSPI page.

The Heartland Institute's "mission is to discover and promote free-market solutions to social and economic problems. Such solutions include … choice and personal responsibility in health care". In an article, "Food and Drink Police: Center for Science in the Public Interest wants government to control our eating habits", economics Professors James Bennett and Thomas DiLorenzo say, "What makes officious nannies like CSPI so maddening is that they cloak their apparent goal of prohibition in the language of health advocacy. Some of the advice in the group's Nutrition Action Healthletter is perfectly sensible, but the remainder can be highly controversial."

Undue Influence is a site "tracking the environmental movement's money, power, and harm using capitalist investments to destroy capitalist society". The CSPI is one organization it tracks on its Center for Science in the Public Interest: a Ralph Nader spinoff page.

Criticism

The CSPI's campaigns against unhealthy foods have drawn the ire of many social commentators who feel that CSPI's campaigns take away simple pleasures that people have enjoyed for generations, dubbing CSPI the "food police" and "food Nazis" (Williams). The CSPI has been particularly criticized for leading movie theaters to stop using coconut oil to make popcorn, a change that many say has detracted from the flavor of movie theater popcorn, which few people eat often.

  • Fox News commentator Steven Milloy asks in an article "Quorn & CSPI: The Other Fake Meat" "why is CSPI trying so carnivorously to destroy (meat substitute) Quorm? CSPI appears to have an unsavory relationship with Quorm competitor, Gardenburger....CSPI regularly promotes Gardenburger products on its Web site and publications" (Milloy). Gardenburger issued a rebuttal of this criticism.
  • In an article in the Capital Research Center publication Organization Trends entitled "Center for Science in the Public Interest: Profiting from Peddling Junk Science", John K. Carlisle writes, "On balance, the organization has done far more harm than good. It has not achieved its mission to better inform the public about the link between good health and nutrition. It has needlessly frightened the public with scientifically-baseless food scares. It has hindered efforts to improve food safety and nutrition. No matter what it calls itself, CSPI does not do science and it certainly isn't in the public's interest"

Sources

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