from Consumer Labs, as referenced in the News Release... there's more information there, folks.

http://www.consumerlab.com./results/nutbars.asp

Background:

Types of Bars:
Nutrition bars go by many names including "meal-replacement bars," "energy bars," "protein bars," and "diet bars." Nutrition bars are generally much larger by weight than snack bars (such as granola bars) or candy bars (such as chocolate bars) and have a much higher protein content — generally 10 grams to 30 grams of protein in a nutrition bar versus little or no protein in a snack bar or candy bar.

A typical nutrition bar weighs about 60 grams and contains 25 grams of carbohydrates (half from starch and half from sugar), 15 grams of protein, and about 5 grams of fat (of which 3 grams are saturated). About one-quarter of the weight generally comes from water. This typical bar would provide 205 calories, with approximately 49% from carbohydrates, 29% from protein and 22% from fat (13% from saturated fat) (see ConsumerTips™ for how to calculate calories).

Although definitions are not well established, "energy bars" tend to claim to contain more carbohydrates, while "diet bars" (also called "weight loss" bars) generally claim to contain fewer carbohydrates. "Meal-replacement bars" are typically the largest of the nutrition bars — weighing 70 to 90 grams — and have proportionally higher amounts of carbohydrates, proteins and fats, while "protein bars" are simply higher in protein. Some bars are combinations (such as a "meal-replacement, protein bars") while others do not claim any specific purpose. Bars may also include vitamins and minerals or other ingredients permitted only in dietary supplements, such as ephedra, and therefore must be labeled as supplements, rather than foods. Consumers should read labels carefully before using nutrition bars or offering them to children.

How Much Nutrition Do They Provide?
The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) recommends that most adults who perform light to moderate activity get roughly 2,000 to 3,000 calories per day from a varied diet in which about 60% or fewer calories come from carbohydrates, at least 10% come from protein (meats and vegetable proteins), and about 30% come from fats — with less than 10% of calories coming specifically from saturated fat. Healthcare professionals tend to suggest a somewhat higher percentage of calories from protein (15% to 20%) and a lower percentage from carbohydrates, although recommendations vary. Nutrition bars can help provide some of these nutrients but they are not recommended as a total substitute for food. One downside to many nutrition bars is that they tend to be relatively higher in saturated fat. On the other hand, most bars claim to be low in salt and cholesterol, with a typical bar containing about 150 mg of sodium and generally fewer than 10 mg of cholesterol. The USDA recommends a maximum of 2,400 mg of sodium and 300 mg of cholesterol per day based on a 2,000 calorie diet for a healthy individual.

A concern among bar products, however, is whether they contain what is stated on their labels. For example, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has sent warning letters to several manufacturers who have failed to include certain ingredients in the carbohydrate counts stated on their products. Some labeling discrepancies can be spotted by calculating the expected calories in a product, based on the protein, fat and carbohydrate contents on the label, and seeing if the total matches the declared calories (see ConsumerTips™). However, most problems, and the magnitude of such problems, can be determined only with laboratory testing. Neither the FDA, nor any other federal or state agency, routinely tests nutrition bars for quality prior to sale. ConsumerLab.com, as part of its mission to independently evaluate products that affect health, wellness, and nutrition, purchased samples of many of the nutrition bars sold in the U.S. and tested their nutritional claims.

Testing & Results:

In April and May 2001, ConsumerLab.com purchased a total of 30 nutrition bars (see How Products were Selected). Only 5 of the products did not make a claim for any particular use. Among those that did, 12 were labeled as protein bars, 10 as diet bars, 8 as meal replacement bars, and 5 as energy bars (10 products claimed two of the categories and are, therefore, counted twice in this list). Many bars, particularly those for diet, carried claims of being "Low-Carb" or "Sugar-Free", and some were labeled as "dietary supplements," as opposed to food products, because they contained ingredients only approved for use in supplements, such as ephedra or hydroxymethyl butyrate (HMB) (see ConsumerTips™ for information about these ingredients).

The products were analyzed to determine their total calories, total carbohydrates, total sugars, total protein, total fat (including a breakout of saturated fat), sodium and cholesterol. Results were evaluated to determine if the products' labeling claims were accurate (see Testing Methods and Passing Score).

Out of 30 products tested, an alarming 60% failed to meet their labeling claims and only 12 products passed on all criteria. Most likely to fail were the protein bars (only 1 out of 12 passed), followed by meal-replacement bars (1 out of 8 passed), and diet bars (4 out of 10 passed). Most likely to pass were bars that did not specify any particular use (all 5 passed), followed by energy bars (4 out of 5 passed). (Note: Three of the products that failed were combination products and are counted twice above.) The reasons why products failed are indicated below; many of the products failed on more than one criterion.