A reader he pointed out to us an advertisement for Flora rice which according to him presents some critical issues. We publish his letter below.
You will have seen on TV it spot Flora, where does it say “the laughter of well-being”? He reminded me of the “water of health” of which you have repeatedly written. Although the concepts of “health” and “wellness” are not completely superimposable, I don’t know if you can consider it a misleading advertisement.
Among other things he also says that Flora is “a low glycemic index rice” and, also considering that he refers to the brand and not to a variety, I wonder if there is any truth in this statement, i.e. to understand if the other brands of rice are not low glycemic index. Are they boasting for themselves a quality common to all rice?
ps. However, I have to say, to be honest, that personally as a brand, in the experience of my let’s say 10 previous years, I have always rated Flora rice as the best among those of the best-known brands, even though it hasn’t made a great hype (perhaps precisely because it doesn’t needed it), a bit like for extra virgin olive oil in my opinion Monini has something extra. Osvaldo
The company’s response is below
We refer to the request for information and in the determination, it is our intention to provide the details that have already been the subject of a response to the request by AGCOM and IAP with which the legitimacy of the boast relating to the low glycemic index ascribed to rice was consolidated. Flora brand.
The Company, Curti Srl is 100% owned by euricom, parent company of one of the major industrial groups in the European Union and in the world, active in the rice production sector, is the owner of the “Curtiriso” and “Flora” brands and represents one of the major economic realities in the sector in our country. As part of the corporate mission aimed at the production of packaged rice and derivatives, Curti has increasingly dedicated the activity of the R&D department to the research and development of products that have regard to the health of the consumer.
In this context, starting from 2019, in which the company Gariboldi SpA was acquired, (owner of the production plant located in Valle Lomellina which includes a rice parboiling plant) and following the subsequent acquisition in 2021 of the Flora brand, Curti has launched a specific research and technological development activity aimed at consolidating the hydrothermal process method (“Metodo Flora”) for the production of parboiled rice (“partially boiled”).
The method consists in the production of parboiled rice which, thanks to its peculiar technological configuration and its process parameterization (hydration, steam pressure, high vacuum, drying, etc.), gives the final product a resistance to prolonged cooking, from which the characteristic of “do not overcook”. The consolidation of the Flora method in the production process was carried out in parallel with the scientific/analytical verification and classification of the results obtained.
Among the verification/classification activities, a collaboration was activated with the UOC of Metabolic Rehabilitation of the University of Pavia dedicated to the “glycemic index” area. The activity was aimed at consolidating the particular characteristics of the rices (Japonica and Indica) obtained with the Flora method, compared to the conventional methods / systems of third parties.
A glycemic index (GI) between 0-55 indicates a low glycemic index food
With particular reference to the object of your request, it must be stated that, in clinical practice, the glycemic index represents the parameter which expresses the ability of the carbohydrates contained in food to raise blood sugar. Its calculation makes it possible to classify and define the quality of the carbohydrates contained in the food and the speed with which these can be digested and absorbed. A glycemic index (GI) between the values 0-55 indicates a food with a low glycemic index between 56 and 70 with a medium glycemic index, over 70 with a high glycemic index.
With particular reference to the products to which the advertising message refers, we refer to the results of the experimentation: “Glycemic index evaluation of parboiled rice Hydrothermal Method Flora”, carried out starting from 2021 and concluded in June 2022, by Prof. Ms Rondanelli, head of the UOC of Metabolic Rehabilitation of the University of Pavia.
This experimentation activity was carried out with reference to thirteen product sample lots – on ten volunteers not suffering from diabetes or other pathologies of glucose metabolism – in compliance with the specific indications prescribed by the ISO 26642 certified standard, according to the indications of the Food and Agricultures World Health Organization.
The reports of this experimentation activity (which are also the subject of scientific publication – Journal Medicinal Food*), have made it possible to contextualize / validate the parameterisations of the Flora Method. From the results of the activity it was determined that all the products to which the advertising claim refers, namely: “Bell’salad Il Classico”, “Gran Risotto”, “Integrale Insalata Allegra” are prepared using the varieties object of the experimentation with the Flora Method.
In conclusion, the Flora brand rice marketed and produced with the Flora Method falls within the definition of foods with a low glycemic index, some of which (long brown rice B) have a particularly low glycemic index.
Therefore, the statement contained in the advertisement according to which the advertised Flora parboiled rice products are foods with a low glycemic index is true.
* Journal Medicinal Food, Volume 26, Number 6, 2023 June; The Glycemic Index of Indica and Japonica Subspecies Parboiled Rice Grown in Italy and the Effect on Glycemic Index of Different Parboiling Processes
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30 August 2023
2023-08-30 14:18:21
#Flora #wellness #rice #commercial #fails #convince #reader
