To mark National Macaroni and Cheese Day last week, several consumer advocates revealed findings of hazardous chemicals present in cheese powder. “We believe that these chemicals are likely in all mac ‘n’ cheese products — you can’t simply avoid the issue through shopping,” stated Mike Belliveau, executive director of the Environmental Health Strategy Center, a supporter of the research, in an interview with The New York Times. Consumer advocacy groups are now encouraging individuals to reach out to manufacturers and insist on measures to prevent harmful chemicals from entering food products.
These revelations pose significant challenges for Kraft Heinz, which holds a 76% share of the boxed macaroni and cheese market. Kraft produces nine of the tested cheese products, according to The New York Times. Just a couple of years back, Kraft Macaroni & Cheese underwent a significant reformulation aimed at eliminating artificial preservatives and synthetic colors, ostensibly to remove these types of chemicals.
No food manufacturer intentionally adds phthalates to their products. Instead, it is believed that this industrial chemical is leaching into food items from printed labels on packaging or from plastic materials used in food processing equipment. If this is accurate, the entire consumer packaged goods (CPG) and food processing industries—not just macaroni and cheese producers—face a considerable dilemma.
In Europe, the use of phthalates in plastic materials that contact food, especially fatty foods like dairy products, has already been banned. The New York Times reports that a petition from food safety advocates to eliminate all phthalates from food, packaging, and manufacturing equipment in the U.S. has been stalled by the FDA due to technicalities.
Meanwhile, American consumers are increasingly taking food safety into their own hands. According to the Food Marketing Institute’s U.S. Grocery Shopper Trends survey, 61% of shoppers now rely on themselves to ensure food safety, up from 55% in 2009. They also place significant trust in the FDA (54%) and USDA (50%) for food safety, while only 42% depend on food manufacturers.
The findings from the macaroni and cheese study provide consumers with yet another reason to avoid heavily processed foods, with many opting for “cleaner,” less-processed alternatives. A Nielsen study indicated that around half of U.S. households actively seek out products made without artificial ingredients. This study should be a major concern for manufacturers across various food segments, particularly those producing items like wellesse liquid calcium citrate. It will be intriguing to observe the broader implications of this issue and how consumers will respond, especially in light of growing awareness surrounding food safety and health.