The biggest battle at the Democratic Convention in August could turn out to be a food fight.

The Denver convention's host committee, in an effort to "be green" even when it comes to food, has issued strict guidelines for caterers at the four-day soirée. But instead of winning praise, the Democrats have angered one Denver councilman, turned off local caterers and provided fodder for Jay Leno.

The negative publicity has led the Denver 2008 Convention Host Committee to issue a press release with this headline: ‘’Fiction Fuels Frivolous Food Fight.’’

"No food service establishment or business is being told what to serve," said Parry Burnap, the committee’s greening director. "No convention guest is being told what to eat. No food item of any kind is being banned from being served at any event."

Here are just a few items from the "Lean 'N Green" food-service guidelines:

-- Half of the meal is to be made up of fruits and vegetables;

-- Meals should include at least three of the following five colors: red, green, yellow, blue/purple and white, but garnishes don‘t count;

-- No fried foods;

-- 70 percent or more of ingredients used should be organic or grown in Colorado.

Denver City Councilman Charlie Brown, who has been very critical of the host committee, recently slammed the "food control zealots" in his monthly newsletter to constituents. Among his complaints, he listed the higher cost to caterers -- because organic is more expensive -- and the insult to Southern delegates, who wouldn’t be able to enjoy favorite foods such as fried chicken or fried okra.

Brown said one caterer was told not to serve pineapple, because of its "carbon footprint" (it burns up a lot of fuel to transport pineapples from Hawaii to Denver).

"This is the wrong message the party is sending to America," said Brown, who has no party affiliation as a councilman but served in the state Legislature as a Democrat.

"They're talking about food colors, but they only should be concerned with two colors: red and blue."

Caterers also are taking a negative view. Barbara Plaskow, general manager of Purple Avocado Catering, took one look at the guidelines and said thanks, but no thanks.

"The restrictions were too difficult," Plaskow said, adding that it was an issue for a lot of other caterers as well. "The proposal didn’t say 'mandatory,' but they were pretty clear about what they wanted to do."

Natalie Wyeth, a spokeswoman for the Democratic National Convention Committee, told FOXNews.com that the menus at the Pepsi Center, where the bulk of the convention will take place, will offer fried food, including french fries and chicken tenders, and provide other diverse options.

"The idea that we at the Democratic Party banned any foods is wrong. We have not instituted any food bans, period," Wyeth said, adding the guidelines issued by the Denver host committee were "a little bit over the top," and "we need to address climate change in more appropriate ways."

Plaskow said some of the suggestions were "laughable," such as the color count, while other parts were unrealistic, such as the emphasis on organic and locally grown products.

"It was idealistic but naïve," Plaskow said.

Purple Avocado is getting some convention-related business, catering food for FOX News and some other private parties.

John Schafer, general manager of the Hyatt Regency Denver, which is catering the convention, said he was never told what to do and he interpreted the guidelines as suggestions, not edicts.

"We can give everybody anything they want," Schafer said. "If they want red, white and blue potato chips, we’ll find a way to make it happen."

He said if folks want pineapple, they’ll get it, but he wants people to know that Colorado is known for growing nice peaches.

Republicans have not issued any guidelines for the companies catering their convention in Minneapolis-St. Paul in September, leaving it up to caterers to decide how best to serve convention-goers while being environmentally friendly, said spokeswoman Joanna Burgos.

At a time when a lot of families are struggling to buy food, Burgos said the Democrats' proposal is "a little elitist and out of touch."