Gerber Answers Critics With Ad Blitz

Stung by criticism about the quality of its baby food, Gerber Products Co. purchased full-page newspaper ads across the country Friday to set “the record straight on nutrition.”

A consumer group, the Center for Science in the Public Interest, has filed a complaint with the Federal Trade Commission, claiming that Fremont-based Gerber is misleading people by saying its food is superior in nutrition.

The Washington-based group said the company can’t make such a statement when in some cases it adds modified starch and sugar.

In response, Gerber said it uses tapioca to add texture and sugar to provide flavor “without compromising the nutritional value.”