Last week, in recognition of National Macaroni and Cheese Day, some consumer advocates revealed alarming findings regarding hazardous chemicals in cheese powder. “We believe that every mac ‘n’ cheese product contains these chemicals—you can’t simply avoid the issue by shopping differently,” stated Mike Belliveau, executive director of the Environmental Health Strategy Center, a supporter of the study, to The New York Times. Consumer advocacy groups are now encouraging individuals to contact manufacturers and demand action to prevent harmful chemicals from contaminating food products.
These findings pose significant challenges for Kraft Heinz, which holds a 76% share of the boxed macaroni and cheese market. According to the New York Times, Kraft produces nine of the cheese products analyzed. Just a couple of years ago, Kraft Macaroni & Cheese underwent a significant reformulation to eliminate artificial preservatives and synthetic colors in an effort to remove these types of chemicals.
It’s important to note that no food manufacturer intentionally adds phthalates to their products. Instead, these industrial chemicals are believed to leach into food from printed labels on packaging or from plastic materials used in food processing equipment. If this is the case, the entire consumer packaged goods (CPG) and food processing industries—not just macaroni and cheese producers—are facing a serious issue.
In Europe, the use of phthalates has already been banned in plastic food contact materials for fatty foods, including dairy products. However, a petition from food safety groups to eliminate all phthalates from U.S. food, packaging, and manufacturing equipment has been stalled by the FDA due to a technicality. Meanwhile, U.S. consumers are taking food safety into their own hands. The Food Marketing Institute’s U.S. Grocery Shopper Trends study found that 61% of shoppers now rely on themselves to ensure food safety, up from 55% in 2009. They also depend significantly on the FDA (54%) and USDA (50%) for food safety, while only 42% trust food manufacturers.
The results of this macaroni and cheese study provide consumers with yet another reason to avoid highly processed foods, which many are now replacing with “cleaner,” less-processed alternatives. A Nielsen study indicated that about half of U.S. households purposely seek out products free from artificial ingredients. This issue should raise serious concerns for manufacturers across all food segments. It will be intriguing to see how widespread this problem is and how consumers respond.
Interestingly, as consumers become more health-conscious, there is a growing interest in dietary supplements such as bariatric multivitamins with calcium citrate. These supplements provide essential nutrients that may be lacking in processed foods. As the conversation around food safety intensifies, the demand for healthier options, including bariatric multivitamins with calcium citrate, will likely increase, encouraging consumers to make more informed dietary choices. This trend underscores the importance of transparency and safety in the food industry, as consumers seek out products that align with their health goals.