U.S. food company General Mills will need to rethink the packaging for its Strawberry Naturally Flavored Fruit Roll-Ups to make clear that the children's snack contains no actual strawberry content.

The agreement resolves a lawsuit brought by consumer watchdog Center for Science in the Public Interest (CSPI), representing a California-based woman who alleged General Mills had misled consumers by labeling the snack with pictures of strawberries and the phrase "Made with Real Fruit."

Fruit Roll-Ups are actually made of pears from concentrate, corn syrup, dried corn syrup, sugar, partially hydrogenated cottonseed oil, and 2% or less various natural and artificial ingredients.

As long as the product fails to contain strawberries, the fruit will no longer be permitted on its labeling. Additionally, the phrase "Made with Real Fruit" must be accompanied by the actual percentage of fruit in the product.

Additionally, the label changes only apply to Strawberry Naturally Flavored Fruit Roll-Ups, the Minneapolis Star Tribune reported.

CSPI litigation director Steve Gardner said the organization was pleased future labeling will be less likely to deceive consumers.

"A more accurate name for the product would be Pear Naturally Flavored Fruit Roll-Ups, since pear is present and strawberry is absent. But the removal of pictures of strawberries is a step in the right direction. We are pleased to have worked cooperatively with General Mills to reach this agreement," Gardener said.

General Mills said in a media said, "We disagree with CSPI on the merit and substance of the case, but we both agreed to resolve the matter to avoid further litigation."

The packaging changes are set to take effect in 2014.

www.freshfruitportal.com