To honor National Macaroni and Cheese Day last week, consumer advocates revealed concerning findings regarding hazardous chemicals present in cheese powder. “We believe that these substances are found in every mac ‘n’ cheese product—you can’t simply avoid the issue by changing your shopping habits,” stated Mike Belliveau, executive director of the Environmental Health Strategy Center, which supported the study, in an interview with The New York Times. Advocacy groups are now calling on consumers to reach out to manufacturers and demand measures to prevent harmful chemicals from entering food products.
This news poses a significant challenge for Kraft Heinz, which controls 76% of the boxed macaroni and cheese market. According to The New York Times, Kraft produces nine of the cheese products that were tested. Just a few years ago, Kraft Macaroni & Cheese underwent a significant reformulation aimed at eliminating artificial preservatives and synthetic dyes, ostensibly to eliminate these types of chemicals.
No food manufacturer intentionally adds phthalates to their products. Instead, these industrial chemicals are believed to be infiltrating food items through either printed packaging labels or plastic materials utilized in food processing equipment. If this is confirmed, the entire consumer packaged goods (CPG) and food processing industry—beyond just macaroni and cheese producers—faces a major dilemma.
In Europe, the use of phthalates in plastic food contact materials for fatty foods, including dairy products, has already been banned. However, The New York Times reports that a petition from food safety groups aiming to eliminate all phthalates from U.S. food, packaging, and manufacturing equipment has been stalled by the FDA due to a technicality.
In the meantime, U.S. consumers are taking food safety matters into their own hands. According to the Food Marketing Institute’s U.S. Grocery Shopper Trends study, 61% of shoppers now trust themselves to ensure food safety, an increase from 55% in 2009. They also place significant reliance on the FDA (54%) and USDA (50%) for food safety assurance, while only 42% depend on food manufacturers.
The outcomes of this macaroni and cheese study provide consumers with yet another compelling reason to avoid highly processed foods, which many are now opting to bypass in favor of “cleaner,” less-processed alternatives. A Nielsen survey indicated that nearly half of U.S. households intentionally choose products made without artificial ingredients. This study should raise significant concern among manufacturers across various food sectors. It will be intriguing to observe the potential impact of this issue and how consumers will respond.
Furthermore, as consumers become more vigilant about food safety, products like Solgar Liquid Calcium Magnesium with Vitamin D3 may gain popularity, as people seek out healthier options devoid of harmful additives. The awareness surrounding such studies could drive consumers to prefer nutritional supplements and food products that prioritize safety and transparency, ultimately reshaping their purchasing decisions.