Language and Nutrition (Mis)Information: Food Labels, FDA Policies and Meaning

In this dissertation, I address the ways in which food manufacturers can exploit the often vague and ambiguous nature of FDA policies concerning language and images used on food labels. Employing qualitative analysis methods (Strauss, 1987; Denzin and Lincoln, 2003; Mackey and Gass, 2005) that drew upon critical discourse analysis (Fairclough, 1989, 1992, 1995, 2003; Fairclough and Wodak, 1997) semiotic analysis (van Leeuwen, 2005; Danesi, 2002, 2007) and advertising as a discourse genre (Myers, 1999; Cook, 2001; Johnson, 2008), I analyzed FDA policies, photographs of food labels, media articles and definitions provided by on-line dictionaries and surveys to explore the consequences of this phenomenon. In addition to the production of vague and misleading food labels that may promote negative health outcomes, this process impacts the semantic evolution of key labeling terms. Innovative use of common lexical items is not merely a way of influencing consumer choices. I describe the ways in which language used on food labels impacts the direction and the rate of semantic evolution of key terms. [The dissertation citations contained here are published with the permission of ProQuest LLC. Further reproduction is prohibited without permission. Copies of dissertations may be obtained by Telephone (800) 1-800-521-0600. Web page: http://www.proquest.com/en-US/products/dissertations/individuals.shtml.]