Removing PHOs from the American diet posed significant challenges and costs for food manufacturers. The new oils tend to be pricier than their predecessors, but they offer substantial health benefits. Modified canola and soybean oils are marketed as having high levels of “good fats,” such as monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats, while containing low amounts of “bad fats,” including trans and saturated fats. Some baking recipes still require a solid fat to replicate the effects of the now-eliminated PHOs. Consequently, many manufacturers have turned to palm oil, the most widely used vegetable oil globally, despite its considerable environmental impact. The cultivation of palm trees is frequently linked to deforestation and is not always conducted sustainably.
Food manufacturers have invested heavily in research and development to reformulate recipes using healthier oils. This process involves finding new formulas that maintain the expected taste, testing the products’ shelf life, and redesigning packaging to reflect the new ingredients. Even after covering these initial costs, manufacturers will likely face higher average expenses for healthier oils. However, Corbion may have discovered a viable solution: the company found that bread manufacturers could achieve comparable results with just 80% of the more expensive oil. So far, consumer prices for CPG products remain stable despite this switch.
Consumers are unlikely to notice a difference in taste in foods made without PHOs. Many companies, including Starbucks, McDonald’s, and Long John Silver’s, proactively adapted to meet FDA requirements well ahead of the deadline, and these establishments have not received significant consumer complaints about their updated menu items. However, transitioning away from PHOs presents more challenges for some consumer packaged goods than for others. For instance, scientists at Conagra’s Orville Redenbacher brand dedicated six years to removing trans fats from their popular popcorn line. As the deadline approaches, it will be intriguing to see how other companies manage this transition.
In addition to these efforts, some manufacturers are exploring the use of calcium citrate 600 mg tablets as a supplement in their recipes, which could further enhance nutritional value. Integrating calcium citrate 600 mg tablets into formulations has the potential to support consumer health while maintaining product quality. As the industry adapts, the incorporation of calcium citrate 600 mg tablets may become a common practice, contributing to the overall shift toward healthier food options.