8/7/2014 – UPDATE: Does Campbell’s Soup Not Know What’s In Its Own Products?
________
Did you know that Campbell’s V8 Juice has possible dead animal parts inside? I thought the “V” stood for “Vegetables” – but I guess I was wrong. “Natural Flavor” is one of the most deceptive ingredients on a label of any product – it could mean anything found in nature, including ingredients you weren’t expecting like meat! Campbell’s confirmed their “flavoring” may include “meat/seafood/poultry/dairy” this week on Twitter and within their question chat box on their website with us. They also confirmed they don’t offer any vegan products – this means the “100% Vegetable Juice” claim on the label of V8 is just plain FALSE!
See screen shot below:
What Can You Do About This?
Regardless, if you’ve been following this blog, you know V8 Juice is not something I would buy or consume anyways, but this is another good reason to give it the heave-ho into the trash can (or take it back to the store and ask for a refund.)
If you are as mad as me about this deceptive practice – Please sign this new petition on change.org started by a brave young woman, go to Campbell’s Soup facebook page here and twitter page here immediately and tell them you are no longer buying their products and disgusted with their misleading information.
Call Campbell’s Customer Service Line: 1-800-257-8443
This example just goes to show that Campbell’s Soup brand is not interested in being honest or transparent about their ingredients on their labels. In fact, they spent almost a MILLION DOLLARS preventing GMO-labeling laws from passing!
Make Homemade V8 Instead
To avoid mysterious animal parts, enjoy this recipe for Homemade V8 juice below – this recipe is straight from this month’s Eating Guide program. This drink is super refreshing, tastes a billion times better than bottled pasteurized V8 and super easy to make. If you don’t have a juicer, just blend all the ingredients and drink like a gazpacho, or strain the juice through a strainer or cheese cloth. Enjoy!
If you become a member of the Eating Guide Program, you’ll be eligible for a set of amazing bonuses we have coming up for you in September – including guides specifically for the fall and holidays coming up. Check out the program here.
- 2 medium carrots
- 1 small beet
- 1 large tomato
- 1 cup spinach (rotate your green weekly)
- ½ cucumber
- ½ red bell pepper
- 1 celery stalk
- 1 garlic clove
- pinch cayenne pepper (optional)
- ½ lemon, juiced
- Wash all fruits and vegetables and place into a large bowl.
- Place all ingredients through your juicer, except the lemon juice.
- Stir in lemon juice before serving and clean juicer immediately.
Cheers,
Vani
P.S. If you want to know the truth about your food, make sure and sign up for email updates and join the Food Babe Army. Together we are informing the world about what’s really in our food.
According to my Buycott App, Campbell’s also supports GMOs by donating $500,000 to No on Prop 37 (California’s GMO labeling law). Considering that tidbit on top of their misleading labeling, people should defnitely boycott Campbell’s products.
You do realize that a majority of what we eat is GMO. By taking different genes in different plants we are able to make foods that are better all around. Even corn itself has been GMO since the time of Columbus and the Pilgrims. Corn in its natural state is inedible. So harharhar to you.
There was no such thing as a GMO until 1994. I think that you are confusing genetic engineering with hybridization. There is a BIG difference.
Go back to school, and try to learn something, dimwit. GMO and hybridization are polar opposites. I don’t think the Pilgrims were able to do gene splicing, do you?????
The pilgrims and native Americans never crossed plant genes with animal, bacteria, etc. genes so no, they did not have GMO corn, they had hybrids of different corn. GMOs don’t take genes from different plants, they compromise them with genes from other species such as bacteria or even insects. This doesn’t make the plant better; it just makes industry wealthy at the expense of the health and future of fools that can’t or won’t educate themselves about them.
The majority of what YOU eat is genetically compromised with much of what’s on store shelves containing genetically compromised corn, soy, and canola. I eat 100% non-GMO.
Corn in it’s supposedly “natural state” is not inedible. If you’re referring to dried corn varieties, then this type simply needs preparation (e.g. soaking in lime, drying, etc.) such as a raw potato would, or an eggplant, or any other vegetable food that is cooked or prepared in order to turn it into an edible state.
Prehistoric corn at its very origin, is simply a seeded grass. Much as a stalk of wheat is. Clearly very edible in all of its varieties over the centuries and an important food source for thousands of years.
since you work for Monsanto of course you will be in favor of the horrific changes they are making to our food and close your eyes….just think…..your family and children will be affected by this too!! When you begin seeing your children not being able to have babies or your gut with problems caused by the pesticides that are in your food with GMO ingredients you will think twice and get more information about it….
Josh, wake up these GMO foods are why there is so many sick people.
Thank you for exposing these giant companies. Your blog has been a lifesaver. Really appreciate the work you do to spread awareness.
Unbelievable!!! No, wait…I believe it, what am I saying! They don’t care. 🙁 I am loving my garden more and more. Keep those recipes coming. Looking forward to the August Eating Guide. Becoming a member and getting the Food Guides is the best investment we have ever made. Vani, you are top notch and thank you! Joe and Sue
go FoodBabe! Thanks for alerting us to the hidden garbage in food. You are doin great work! I haven’t been buying Capmbell’s for a few years since I started making my own soups, but I have family that does- so I am sharing this with them.
I get sick every time I drink v-8 juice. I never touch the stuff any more.
It is a very sad world…the politians which are involved with hiding facts have a lot to do with this…but as long as people eat all the garbage that is out there..and there are a lot…nothing will be fixed…I see people everyday buy all the junk..I see Mothers buy all this artificial juices for their little ones and junk for their teenagers ..wow …how can the food industry change when you have these people that ho with everything..and go and are bought just by the pretty packaging…the packaging mind you ….. You put poison in a pretty package and people buy it !!!!! They don’t read they just buy it and give it to their babies and teens…..America is stupid!!!!!!!!
Silly me, I should have known never to trust Campbells. We were probably wrong in doing so even in the 60’s and 70’s. Any (ANY!) food company that supports Non labeling of GMO is not to be trusted. You’ve probably done it before Vani… but how about a list of food companies that paid to block the listing of GMO in their products.
I DO love making juice from my own home grown fruits and vegetables but have often kept a bottle of v-8 around as a back-up. Never again! Just dumped a whole bottle down the drain.
The food industry might seem as it is winning ..but it will have its day…Monsanto is a Demon…he will also have his day…they all do in the long run …they are evil in my book…every dog has his day…
I absolutely love V8 juice regardless of what’s in it. There are worse things to indulge in. I would absolutely love to try homemade V8 but I love V8 juice as much as any drinkable liquid on this planet!
Wow, I had a craving for a V-8 today but didn’t buy it. It is so odd
that I got a notice from Food Babe on this day. I am glad to know
that there is something Fishy about V-8 won’t be buying that anymore.
Thank you, Food Babe.
Ms. Pat Cherry
I haven’t had a V8 for probably 10 years; too much salt. They advertise it as heart healthy, what a joke!
You could always try suing them for false advertising, though if they can legally use animal products as flavoring and still call it 100% vegetable juice here in the states then a “false advertising” lawsuit probably wouldn’t fly 🙁
What we really need is a “Full Disclosure in Product Labeling Act”
Extra protein!
Too bad it has barely any protein in it.
Protein is trickery TOO. Protein is promoted by the food ind as if you need to try to get enough, but when you look at the actual needs, American’s get from 50% to 200% more than they need.
I eat no high-protein foods (I’m fruitarian/vegan). I lift weights. I’m doing great.
Ptotein is full of trickery TOO. Protein is promoted by the food ind as if it’s not easy getting enough. BUt when you look at actuall needs, Americans are getting 50-200% more than they need.
I don’t eat any high-protein foods (I’m Fruitarian/vegan). I lift weights. I’m doing great.
Excellent article, I shared this with my followers, reprehensible is the word!
You might get a bug in your juice if you don’t wash and check your veggies. Now would be a good time to watch one of my top 20 favorite movies, Medicine Man.
Awesome movie! Not many people know about it. I told a friend of mine who is in to saving the rainforest..
This is so vulgar & disgusting…considering the Campbells’ company’s history of generally widely accepted canned products.
And what’s scary about this is that EBOLA is believed to have originated from fruit bats, which bit humans.
What next ?
And where , oh WHERE is the vaunted FDA in all this ?
Busy eating their footlong laced with the same ingredients which go into shoe soles and yoga mats ?
Incredible !
Shame on the FDA and Campbells !
Not that fruit bats bit them but they ate fruit bats.
I am not sure what to believe, now days, we have so many people saying one thing and some one else telling us another. what are we suppose to believe ??one week, things are good for us , the next thing there not, its pretty confusing and I wish people would get their facts straight before alarming every one.. I’m not saying you are wrong with your facts, but any thing we make in our kitchens is going to be healthier then what we buy, my main point being we can control the salt and sugar that they put in every thing and way too much of.
Thanks the recipe sound delicious. If not, consider ordering tomato juice from Tomatina Juice in NYC – It’s vegan and very delicious!
McDonalds was sued for putting an ingredient derived from beef in their french fries. McDonalds agreed to donate $10 million to groups that joined the suit. Also, 11 plaintiffs received $4.000 each. Just bringing a similar suit against Campbells would be terrible publicity for them. Thy might settle out of court to avoid the bad PR. And they might change the ingredients. It’s certainly not necessary to include anything from meat to make a good tasting vegetable juice.
I just called Campbell’s Customer Service and was told that the information is not correct, that Campbell’s does not contain any animal product and that the person from Campbell’s sent the wrong information on Twitter. The person I spoke to said that Campbell’s will correct this misinformation.
I was also asked a lot of personal information such as my zipcode, name, where I heard this.
This is from 2008, essentially the same information. If the person providing this information was mistaken, they’ve been mistaken for a long time.
http://vegweb.com/community/kitchen-sink/little-something-about-v8-juice
I don’t buy Campbell’s products…EVER.
HaHa… I thought it was going to talk about the frogs, snakes & mice that don’t get pulled off of the tomatoe belts & make it into the juice …. I worked there for 2 summers…. Worst job ever… I still won’t eat tomatoe soup….
OMG how disgusting!! I quit buying from Campbell’s years ago (thank goodness) when they wanted to charge more for cutting down on salt in their broth (Swanson’s). I am so glad I hardly ever buy anything but produce from the grocery stores and then only when I can’t get it at a farmer’s market or home garden.
That would explain where your animal protein is coming from. That’s so gross. I never buy their products because they are full of MSG and tons of sodium.
stopped the v8 a while ago since being enlightened by food babe what ‘natural flavour’ is. recently adopted ‘dei fratelli’ veg juice. no gmo’s and good taste.
As long as you’re honest and genuine, you have my support and the support of a growing following. Good luck, Food Babe. Keep up the good work. = )
<> no more V-8 or Tomato Soup or Vegetarian Vegetable Soup for me.
SO sorry that Campbells is part of the “great deception” being perpetrated on consumers. [THAT and the fact that Campbell’s insists upon supporting GMO and using GMOs in their products….]
I’ve grown up with V-8 and Tomato & Vegetable Soups, though I’ve not used Campbell’s soups lately because of the GMO [wheat, corn, etc], but have caved to my V-8 cravings from time to time… even though I knew that, with the pasturization and processing, there wasn’t much ‘real’ nutrition there…
NOW with the evidence right before my eyes, I won’t be swayed again.
Sadly, Campbell’s website is as suspect as their products!! Look what my security software told me when I tried to go to Campbell’s page:
“This page is identified as potentially unwanted. Show URL
This web page is on the list of websites with dubious reputation or websites with potentially unwanted content”
HA!!! “…POTENTIALLY UNWANTED CONTENT” — just like their V-8 and soup!!
…ironic!
={<3
PS … Thanks, Vani!
Thank you for posting your research on healthy eating. This is so gross about V-8! How many other products contain “flavoring” that are animal based… I am so mad about GMO’s and all the artificial sweetners, flavors, chemicals in our food. I research ingredients and it makes it hard to buy food..
Hey, my first time here and I like it, comments make sense too. How about Gatorade? My husband and I bought it years ago when he was living, because he liked it a lot, especially when he was mowing the yard in Fl. where it’s hot most of the year. I found a small roach in the bottom of the Gatorade…He notified the company and guess what they offered? A year’s supply of Gatorade, that’s it, nothing else. We never wanted the offer and he never drank it anymore… They don’t care as some of your readers say, just show me the money.
Thanks for your comment! Check out this post on Gatorade: https://foodbabe.com/2012/07/10/the-secret-behind-gatorade-how-to-replenish-electrolytes-naturally/
Too much salt and now mystery meat, and we don’t know what kind of meat.
What if it’s Pork! I and many other have alleges to this let alone sea food! but who wants to eat a 8 legged sea going cockroach anyway and there are the clams filtering from the bottom scum of are oceans yum yum with this added brown stuff.
NO THANK Campbell’s we who have alleges don’t like Hospitals.
WE have to know what’s inside surprises can really hurt us or even KILL US.
I now eat a Kosher diet and my food alleges are under complete control that something to say for the Bible food laws and after going to some Kosher sites I was in shock to how many foods contained pork, shellfish, clams, crab, and I would recommend going to these sites as this information is great it really helped me and my friends who have food alleges.
Damn! I used to drink V8 almost daily! I have been deceived!!!!!!!!!!
I will NEVER buy it again! Thank you for the work you do! Joe
I will Never buy Campbell’s again. Thank you Food Babe!
Your expose’ of V8 and Campbells is most helpful. And the recipe is good but only for those who have a juicer. Very few people have one though.
I need a recommendation for healthy tomato juice replacements. Knudson makes a low sodium tomato juice. How does it stack up? Are there others?
Thank you so much for keeping us informed. I quit Campbells soup long ago because of MSG, but I did not realize V-8 was even made by Campbells! We used to think that was the lesser of the evils offered on an airline flight, but now you can’t even get water, so thank you for your unceasing work. Please keep informing us! And thank you for giving us an alternate recipe! I love that!
Oh come on, everybody knows that meat, dairy, seafood, poultry, ascorbic acid, and salt are 100% vegetables.
In all fairness it says “With added ingredients” so there’s no fraud but it is deceptive.
But really I think it would be better to go after the people that put ‘natural’ on products and things like that.
I mean, natural isn’t like ‘organic’ where it has to be certified or anything. And come on- don’t forget lead, uranium, cyanide, and monkey turds are natural too but I don’t go putting them in my mouth just because some jerk put it in a bottle and slapped a nice label on it saying it’s “All Natural” and has “Great taste” from ‘natural'(simian dung?) flavor.
Campbell’s also owns Bolthouse Farms
Why are people sooo gullible?
Of course, there never has been any nutrition or anything good about V8, folks. Read the ingredients and don’t believe the marketing jargon printed on the labels. Goes for all manufactured products.
I haven’t purchased ANY Campbell’s products since 1989 when I read a book that changed my life about food in this country – Fit For Life.
Keep up the good work Vani – the new generations desperately need to understand what they are really ingesting for the health of themselves and their children before it’s too late when illness takes over.
I read Fit for Life in 1984, and it changed my life and eating habits. I was reading labels before reading labels was heard of! DON’T fall for commercial advertising! READ labels, find out the sourcing, and the “mother” company. Stay healthy.
Campbells is just the tip of the iceberg. ALL major companies, whether food related or not, are out there to make money. The more money they make, the better. They aren’t in business for our benefit, but only for theirs.
Congress, who can legislate food safety and truth in labeling is also money oriented and PAC aware, so therefore are not interested in what the general public thinks or wants. We have nobody in government looking out for our interests, so….We, the general public are powerless if we don’t all work together to effect change. Vote with your dollars, your feet, and your votes at the polls. When election time rolls around, look into the background of your candidate of choice to see what they stand for, and more importantly, how they voted on food and agri issues in the past…..and don’t buy those products that use deceptive advertising…..call the food manufacturers and voice your complaint.
STAND UP for what’s right and good!
Can anyone suggest an alternative to V8 [available in Canada] that I don’t have to brew at home every few days? I’m not vegan, but would prefer something without any added ‘flavouring’. Thank you in advance for any recommendations.
Years ago my kids worked at a small egg and vegetable farm. When the chickens died he put them in a freezer (as is) and when the freezer was full a truck from Campbells would pick them up and haul them away. Enjoy your Campbell’s chicken soups. I won’t eat them again.
What clarification is being sought? The food company response or the utter stupidity of anyone who believes this or the other company targeted by the same claim on a SATIRICAL website? These articles simply
Thanks for the homemade V-8 recipe, but I would NEVER put raw garlic in anything. Unless you like disgusting breath.
Wow, thank you.e to drink V-8 juice. Keep up the Great work.
I can report that I just spent a highly unprofitable 30 minutes on the phone with the Campbell’s care line and while they repeatedly stressed that this blog post is in error and that V8 is vegetarian, they were unable to confirm that it’s vegan.
Apparently the request has been forwarded on to a research team that may or may not write back to me at some point in the future.
I am not a fan of V8 juice, but since it is certified kosher and “parve” (meaning it contains neither milk or meat) by the Orthodox Union, it simply is impossible that the natural flavorings would have animal ingredients in them. The kashus supervisors are extremely careful in this matter. It could be, though, that if something was chemically altered in the lab, it would lose its animal product status (but I am not an expert in this.) Still, it seems very doubtful that any kosher product like this would have animal products in it. Many items are labeled “dairy” even if they contain no dairy at all: it’s enough if they were produced on equipment that is also used for dairy. So given how strict they are, I find it impossible to believe!
A product which is processed in a factory in which also processes products containing meat and dairy isn’t typically labeled as vegetarian or vegan due to the infinitesimal possibility of cross-contamination. It’s the same for products which have the caveat on their labels stating that they are processed in facilities which also process peanuts and/or tree nuts though that label is required by law due to peanut and nut allergies as opposed to being vegetarian or vegan as a matter of choice.
However, thank you so much for pointing out this very important bit of information.
I am not going to use Campbell products anymore. Thanks for the information.
The other key world here is “reconstituted”. The juice has been processed to concentrate it, then water added again. How much nutrition do you lose by all this processing?
Based on this V8 article I contacted Campbells to let them know I’d be boycotting them based on false labeling and I got this response:
Thank you for contacting us.
V8 100% Vegetable juice is a completely vegetarian product which uses only natural flavorings derived from plants and vegetables.
Also, our Tomato Soup product is vegetarian. It doesn’t use any flavors derived from meat/seafood/poultry/dairy. The information provided by our consumer care team on Twitter in this instance was incorrect and we’ll be reviewing our responses around this issue.
Thank you for visiting the Campbell Soup Company website.
Campbell Soup Company Web Team
ELR/cl
Was this true of V8 Juice 60 years ago? I have loved it since I was a small child. I am crushed!
I find it funny that in the recipe that the cayenne pepper is optional, if I’m making it, isn’t every ingredient optional?
The “flavorings” section you have labeled “contains toxic pesticide residue from non-organic vegetables.”
Um… V8 isn’t certified organic anyway. Why even bring that up?
What’s up FBA! Just joined the cause. Posted your article on the front page of Campbells Fakebook page. I’m surprised everyone isn’t doing this. This is the most amazing part of social media, use it to our advantage! Stick it to em! Friend me for more info.
I strongly doubt that there are a animal products in a V8 that are anything other than a fish or egg derivative. An ‘OU’ symbol indicates:
The product is Kosher.
The product contains neither dairy nor meat, nor any dairy or meat derivatives.
The product was not made on equipment also used for making dairy products.
The product was not made on equipment also used for making meat products.
A so labeled product is called ‘Pareve’
It may still contain fish derivatives, but less than 60:1, otherwise it would be OU-F. Kosher consider’s eggs as Pareve and neither milk or meat so egg is possible.
If I had to guess, the ‘natural flavoring’ is Worcestershire sauce.