Sad About Slaw: Beware the Deli Counter

I thought I had found a food product that was affordable, tasty and healthful. My local Shoprite's deli counter offers a salad they call "vinegar and oil cole slaw." It's chock full of shredded cabbage and carrots, and while it's clearly not low-fat, its oil-and-vinegar dressing seems lighter than that of mayonnaise-based slaw. I figured it might be high in sodium, but I assumed it was otherwise a good nutritional choice.

Last month, I decided to find out what this product is really made of. The adhesive label printed at the deli counter gave the name "Blue Ridge Vinegar & Oil Slaw." A Google search led to several online grocery sites offering Blue Ridge's conventional mayonnaise slaw, some of which listed the ingredients. But I had no luck finding the ingredients for the vinegar and oil version.

Eventually, I used the "Contact Us" page at shoprite.com to email an inquiry about the product's ingredients and nutrition facts. To Shoprite's credit, a Customer Satisfaction Manager (yep, that's his title!) replied within a few days. Here's the response in its entirety, except that I've omitted the manager's name and contact information to preserve his privacy.

Good Morning Mr. Steve,
The Blue Ridge vinegar and oil coleslaw ingredients are cabbage, high fructose corn syrup, soybean oil, carrots, red bell peppers, vinegar, salt, water, sodium erthorbate, potassium sorbata (as a perservative), sodium benzoate (as a persevative), modified food starch (corn), parsley, calcium disodium EDTA. contains: soy.

There are a few typos, but the message is clear. More corn syrup than carrots or peppers. And five chemical additives, three of which are sodium compounds, as well as salt itself. Since the reply didn't include nutrition facts, I'm still in the dark about the precise sodium content, but it's undoubtedly high.

I don't think I'll be buying this product in the future. What I thought was a wholesome vegetable salad is more like a chemical stew.

The larger point is that the deli counter is a labeling-free zone. Most supermarket products include detailed labels with ingredients and nutrition facts in accordance with FDA guidelines. The deli counter is an exception. Unless you do some digging, you don't know what's in the coldcuts, salads and other products offered there. Buyer beware!