Processed food is built on three essential components: salt, sugar, and fat. The interplay of these ingredients can produce a wide range of delightful and cost-effective options, spanning from sweet to savory and from cheesy to crunchy. However, when food manufacturers attempt to modify their recipes to lower one or more of these critical components, they often need to compensate for the loss in other areas. Among these ingredients, sugar is often seen as the most notorious by today’s consumers, with salt coming in as a close second. In response to consumer preferences, many large consumer packaged goods (CPG) companies are reducing sugar content while voluntarily lowering sodium levels in line with the FDA’s proposed targets for the industry. Nevertheless, this often results in higher levels of saturated fat.
As consumers increasingly aim for healthier diets, one might wonder why food producers don’t simply minimize salt, sugar, and fat altogether to craft genuinely nutritious products. The challenge lies in the fact that food scientists require at least one of these three pillars to maintain flavor and cost-effectiveness. Ryan Dolan, chief operating officer of PTM Food Consulting, likens product nutrition to a pie chart: if you cut down on sodium and sugar, another ingredient must take up the slack. The change isn’t as noticeable when reducing just one ingredient, but cutting back on two may lead to a significant increase in another.
Food industry insiders noted in a recent article that they were not surprised by the government’s new report, attributing it to standard industry practices. It will be intriguing to see if consumers begin to notice the rising levels of saturated fats in their favorite processed foods. If saturated fats are viewed as the next problematic ingredient, we can expect more reformulations, potentially leading to an increase in sugar or salt. However, in today’s context, saturated fats may be considered the lesser evil among the three. Recent studies have cast doubt on the connection between saturated fats and heart disease, even though the American Heart Association continues to advocate for a diet rich in healthier fats.
While no one asserts that saturated fats are beneficial, consumer concern over fat content has diminished. More than half of consumers worldwide prioritize checking sugar content on labels, which explains manufacturers’ renewed focus in this area. Additionally, the incorporation of ultra calcium citrate in products could address some of these health concerns, providing a nutritional boost without compromising taste. As the industry evolves, the balance between flavor, cost, and health will continue to shape processed food offerings.