You may not be seeing these labels on food products much longer. The Smart Choices labeling program has been voluntarily halted after the FDA said it could be misleading.

The labels are supposed to make it easier for us to spot healthier foods, but the green check mark has been showing up on the front of boxes of sugar-laden cereals like Cocoa Krispies and Froot Loops. Last week, the FDA sent out a letter to food makers, saying it will crack down on those that go against federal labeling rules.

Smart Choices is among several nutrition labeling programs now being used, all with different nutritional criteria.

No wonder there’s so much confusion out there!

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Three new prescription diet drugs are in the final stages of development. The Food and Drug Administration has yet to review the drugs before deciding whether to approve them, so it will be at least one year before they hit the market, if they get the green light from the FDA.

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Okay, remember my shock when I saw that the new Smart Choices nutrition labels on sugary cereals? Well, now the FDA is on it. The agency sent out this letter to food manufacturers, saying there are too many Front-of-Package (FOP) labeling programs which all have different nutritional criteria and can be misleading.The FDA does not name any specific products, but says it is reviewing FOP claims to see if any go against federal labeling rules.

The agency says with FOP labeling, people are less likely to check the Nutrition Facts label, which has the detailed information about what’s in the food. FOP labeling is voluntary, but more and more companies are using it to try to get our attention.

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The Food and Drug Administration is looking into reports of liver damage in patients taking the over-the-counter weight loss drug, Alli, and its prescription equivalent, Xenical.

Between 1999 and 2008, the FDA has received 32 reports of serious liver damage in patients taking the drugs, including 27 people who were hospitalized and six who had liver failure.

The FDA says it has not found a definite link between liver damage and the weight loss pills. If you’re taking either Xenical or Alli, the agency recommends you continue to take them as directed.

You can find more information on the FDA’s website.

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An experimental drug for weight loss looks promising so far. Orexigen Therapeutics Inc. says research shows its obesity drug, Contrave, helps patients lose weight, lowers the fat around the waist, and improves levels of “good” HDL cholesterol. Orexigen says Contrave also reduces food cravings and lets patients have better control of their eating. The company will ask the FDA to approve the drug in early 2010.

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You may think bottled water is purer and safer to drink than plain old H2O, but a new report finds it’s actually less regulated than tap water. The report also shows the Food and Drug Administration has little power to regulate the safety of bottled water, and says states that can regulate it focus more on tap water.

Maybe you should try this instead: 15 ways to spice up plain ol’ water

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Last month, it was ground beef. Just before that, it was peanut products. Now it’s cookie dough. Another recall because the food may make us sick.

Nestle has voluntarily recalled its Toll House refrigerated cookie dough products after a warning from the Food and Drug Administration that they might be contaminated with E. coli bacteria. The FDA warns not to eat any varieties of the prepackaged cookie dough. If you have any of the products, Nestle says you can return them to your local grocer for a full refund.

Since March, the FDA says there have been 66 reports of people getting sick in 28 states after they ate raw cookie dough – 25 people were hospitalized.

The products in the recall include all varieties of Nestle Toll House refrigerated Cookie Bar Dough, Cookie Dough Tub; Cookie Dough Tube; Limited Edition Cookie Dough items; Seasonal Cookie Dough and Ultimates Cookie Bar Dough. See a complete list here.

If you have any questions, call Nestle consumer services at 1-800-559-5025 and/or visit their website, verybestbaking.com.

E. coli O157:H7 can cause abdominal cramping, vomiting and diarrhea, often with bloody stools. If you’ve eaten any prepackaged, refrigerated Toll House cookie dough and have had any of these symptoms, call your doctor immediately.

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The maker of Cheerios got a warning letter from the Food and Drug Administration. The FDA says General Mills has made inappropriate claims about how the popular cereal can lower cholesterol and treat heart disease. General Mills says the health claims on Cheerios have been approved for 12 years and the FDA’s complaints are about how the language appears on the box, not the cereal itself.

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The Food and Drug Administration warns consumers to stop taking Hydroxycut immediately. The weight-loss supplements have been recalled after 23 reports of liver problems and one death.

The FDA says if you took the recalled products, call your doctor if you have symptoms like nausea, vomiting, light-colored stools, excessive fatigue, weakness, stomach pain, itching or loss of appetite.

Here is a list of the recalled products:

• Hydroxycut Regular Rapid Release Caplets
• Hydroxycut Caffeine-Free Rapid Release Caplets
• Hydroxycut Hardcore Liquid Caplets
• Hydroxycut Max Liquid Caplets
• Hydroxycut Regular Drink Packets
• Hydroxycut Caffeine-Free Drink Packets
• Hydroxycut Hardcore Drink Packets (Ignition Stix)
• Hydroxycut Max Drink Packets
• Hydroxycut Liquid Shots
• Hydroxycut Hardcore RTDs (Ready-to-Drink)
• Hydroxycut Max Aqua Shed
• Hydroxycut 24
• Hydroxycut Carb Control
• Hydroxycut Natural

The FDA has more information here.

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Yes, there’s yet another salmonella problem – this time in alfalfa sprouts. The Food and Drug Administration is warning us not to eat raw alfalfa sprouts because they may be contaminated with salmonella. The FDA says the contamination seems to be in the seeds. So far, 31 people have gotten sick in Michigan, Minnesota, Pennsylvania, South Dakota, Utah, and West Virginia. The FDA has more information here.

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