To honor National Macaroni and Cheese Day last week, consumer advocates revealed alarming findings regarding hazardous chemicals present in cheese powder. “We believe that it’s in every mac ‘n’ cheese product — you can’t simply shop your way out of the problem,” stated Mike Belliveau, executive director of the Environmental Health Strategy Center, a supporter of the study, in an interview with The New York Times. Consumer advocacy groups are now urging individuals to reach out to manufacturers and demand action to prevent chemicals from contaminating food products.
These revelations pose a significant challenge for Kraft Heinz, which dominates 76% of the boxed macaroni and cheese market. According to The New York Times, Kraft produces nine of the tested cheese products. Just a few years back, Kraft Macaroni & Cheese underwent a significant reformulation aimed at eliminating artificial preservatives and synthetic colors, ostensibly to address such chemical issues.
No food manufacturer intentionally adds phthalates to their products. It is believed that these industrial chemicals may be leaching into food from printed labels on packaging or from plastic materials utilized in food processing equipment. If this is indeed the case, the entire consumer packaged goods (CPG) and food processing industry — not just producers of macaroni and cheese — faces a substantial 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 organizations seeking 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 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, a rise from 55% in 2009. They also place significant trust in the FDA (54%) and USDA (50%), while only 42% depend on food manufacturers.
The findings from this macaroni and cheese study provide consumers with yet another reason to avoid highly processed foods, prompting many to seek “cleaner,” less-processed alternatives. A Nielsen study indicated that around half of U.S. households actively look for products made without artificial ingredients. This study should raise major concerns for manufacturers across various food segments. How influential this issue will be and how consumers will respond remains to be seen.
In the context of food safety, consumers may also wonder if calcium carbonate is as good as calcium citrate for their nutritional needs. This inquiry reflects a broader trend where consumers are becoming increasingly informed and discerning about the ingredients in their food, including calcium sources. As consumers continue to prioritize health and safety, the question of whether calcium carbonate is as good as calcium citrate will likely become more prominent, alongside concerns about food contamination and safety.