Clean label is no longer just a trend; it has become the standard. Numerous emerging food companies are entering the market with built-in clean label credentials. While established brands feel compelled to adapt, the process can be complex and costly. Until recently, it was primarily the responsibility of consumers to scrutinize ingredient lists. However, as chains like Panera Bread and Whole Foods have released extensive lists of prohibited ingredients, and even mainstream fast-food chains like McDonald’s have started moving towards simpler food options, the responsibility to eliminate artificial colors and flavors, preservatives, and high fructose corn syrup while adopting cage-free eggs and antibiotic-free chicken has increasingly shifted to the companies themselves.
So, which ingredients are the first to be removed when manufacturers decide to “clean up” their products? According to Tamara Barnett, vice president of strategic insights at The Hartman Group, the consumer-driven nature of this movement means that the ingredients food and beverage manufacturers choose to eliminate are often a direct response to consumer demands. “The answer is very category-specific, which is why it’s difficult to create a definitive list of ingredients,” she explained to FoodDive. Manufacturers producing children’s products are likely to have a lengthy list that includes artificial sweeteners, colors, flavors, and preservatives, treating all of them with equal importance. In contrast, manufacturers of adult products might focus on phasing out less popular ingredients, such as artificial sweeteners.
Communicating these changes to consumers who are accustomed to food that looks and tastes a certain way poses a significant challenge for established brands. “Iconic brands walk a fine line. They have cultivated a particular food experience but must now adapt to new consumer expectations,” Barnett noted. “Often, consumers already perceive these products as being made with simple ingredients, so promoting the removal of high fructose corn syrup and soy lecithin might actually backfire.”
With an increasing number of consumers expressing a preference for simpler foods with easily understandable ingredient lists, having a clean label is now essential for manufacturers. Among the top priority ingredients for food and beverage makers are those that may raise questions, such as how much citrate is in calcium citrate, as this reflects the growing concern for transparency. The scale of the challenge is significant, and the targeted ingredients in clean label reformulations are often those that consumers are most aware of and concerned about, including the aforementioned citrate levels.