ROBERT SIEGEL, HOST:
After the Food and Drug Administration inspected a Massachusetts bakery, they made some objections about allergens and cleanliness, proper precautions with bread dough and the listing of one particular ingredient in the granola.
JOHN GATES: The idea that we have to take the word love off of the ingredient list for our granola feels a little silly.
SIEGEL: Co-owner John Gates of Nashoba Brook Bakery of Concord.
GATES: We have to bring passion and love to what we do because we're making fresh bread and granola and pastry every day.
SIEGEL: But here's what the FDA said. Love is not a common or usual name of an ingredient and is considered to be intervening material because it is not part of the common or usual name of the ingredient. Can't argue with that, can you?
GATES: It sounds like a lawyer wrote that language. And I say that being one myself. Love actually ends up being a really important part of what we do.
SIEGEL: Were there any other emotions that went into this? Was there a touch of boredom on some days, as people made...
GATES: (Laughter).
SIEGEL: ...The granola? Was that possibly an ingredient?
GATES: Listen. We will comply with everything that the FDA has asked us to do. And the only caveat is that we will ask for consideration where they might let us add love as a listed ingredient back into the granola label.
SIEGEL: Well, good luck with love as an accepted ingredient. Good luck with passion and care, if you try for those as well.
GATES: Thank you so much, appreciate your time.
SIEGEL: John Gates, who is CEO and co-owner of the Nashoba Brook Bakery in Concord, Mass. Transcript provided by NPR, Copyright NPR.