8 foods that aren't what they say they are

Last week, the FDA told Just Mayo maker Hampton Creek that it couldn't call its eggless mayonnaise "Just Mayo" anymore.

Behind the controversy is a complicated set of rules the FDA calls the "Standards of Identity," which set the bar for what foods can and cannot be called.

But Just Mayo isn't alone in calling itself something other than what it actually is — lots of other everyday foods either leave out the basic ingredients they purport to contain, or they're stuffed with things that you'd never expect based on the name.

Find out if what you're eating is what you think it is.

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Soy "milk"

Soy milk, and other similar variations like almond and rice milk, are techinically supposed to be called "soy beverage" since they don't contain any lactose, the staple ingredient of your standard cow's milk.

Back in 2000, the National Milk Producers Federation got into it with the Soyfoods Association of North America and the FDA, claiming that because soy milk wasn't actually animal-produced milk, it couldn't take on that name. So far, the FDA hasn't taken any steps to stop milk substititutes from using "milk" in its labeling, however. So drink up.

Velveeta "cheese"

As you might have expected, processed cheese like Velveeta and Cheez Whiz aren't made with real cheese. Instead, they're made with something called cheese cultures, the bacteria that are used to turn milk into cheese. As a result, the FDA says these items can be classified as "cheese products," but not plain old cheese. 

"Bacon" bits

In case its lack of resemblance to actual bacon wasn't already a dead giveaway, bacon bits (or Bac'n Pieces, as they're marketed) don't contain any bacon.

Instead, the crunchy red flakes are made of soy flour and canola oil with some added colors and bacon flavoring tossed in. 

To avoid any legal fallout, the crumbly bits are are labeled as such: They go by "bac'n" instead of bacon (duh), and make sure their label includes the wording "bacon flavored." Technically, Bac'n Pieces are meat and dairy free, so they're actually vegan.

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