Mike looked at the label on the big plastic container. It said Garlic Powder. There was a U with a circle around it after the word Powder. What does this U mean, Mike wondered. Under the word Powder was another word, Seasoning¹. Under that word was a drawing of a garlic bulb.

Mike knew that food labels can be tricky². Powder is powder, but Seasoning could mean salt. He looked all around the plastic container for an ingredients label. There wasn’t one. In small print under the drawing of the garlic bulb was a phone number: 1-800-632-6900. Call that number if you have comments or questions, the label said.

Mike called the number. A woman answered. He asked her what the U inside a circle meant. She said it meant kosher. Kosher food is food that is prepared according to Jewish law.

Mike asked where the ingredients label was. She said if there is only one ingredient, there is no ingredients label.

"So, there is no salt in this product?" Mike asked.

"No, sir," she said. “It’s 100 percent garlic powder."

"Why does it say, Product of USA and China?"

She said that sometimes they get the garlic from China, sometimes they get it from the US.