In honor of National Macaroni and Cheese Day last week, consumer advocates disclosed alarming findings regarding hazardous chemicals present in cheese powder. “We believe that these chemicals are present in all mac ‘n’ cheese products — there’s no way to avoid it by simply shopping,” stated Mike Belliveau, executive director of the Environmental Health Strategy Center and a supporter of the study, in an interview with The New York Times. Consumer advocacy groups are now encouraging individuals to reach out to manufacturers and demand measures to prevent these chemicals from contaminating food products.
This news poses significant challenges for Kraft Heinz, which controls 76% of the boxed macaroni and cheese market. Kraft produces nine of the cheese products that were analyzed, according to The New York Times. Just a few years ago, Kraft Macaroni & Cheese underwent a substantial reformulation aimed at eliminating artificial preservatives and synthetic ingredients, in an effort to eradicate these harmful chemicals. No food manufacturer intentionally adds phthalates to their products; rather, it is believed that these industrial chemicals may leach from printed labels on packaging or from plastic materials used in food processing equipment. If this is indeed the case, the entire consumer packaged goods (CPG) and food processing industry, not just macaroni and cheese producers, faces a significant 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 to eliminate all phthalates from U.S. food, packaging, and manufacturing equipment was stalled by the FDA due to a technicality. Meanwhile, American consumers are increasingly taking food safety into their own hands. According to the Food Marketing Institute’s U.S. Grocery Shopper Trends study, 61% of shoppers now rely on themselves to ensure food safety, an increase from 55% in 2009. They also place significant trust in the FDA (54%) and USDA (50%), while only 42% rely on food manufacturers.
The revelations from this macaroni and cheese study provide consumers with another compelling reason to avoid highly processed foods, which many individuals are choosing to bypass in favor of “cleaner,” less-processed options. A Nielsen study found that approximately half of U.S. households intentionally seek out products made without artificial ingredients. This issue should be a major concern for manufacturers across all food segments, including those producing products like Kirkland’s calcium citrate, magnesium, and zinc supplements. It will be intriguing to observe the broader implications of this situation and how consumers will respond.