Eliminating PHOs from the American diet proved to be a challenging and costly task for food manufacturers. The new oils available are pricier than their predecessors, yet they are significantly healthier. Modified canola and soybean oils boast high levels of “good fats,” such as monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats, while containing low levels of “bad fats,” like trans and saturated fats. Some baking recipes still require a solid fat to replicate the effects of the now-absent PHOs. As a result, many food producers have opted for palm oil, which is the most widely used vegetable oil globally. However, the environmental impact of palm oil is considerable; the plantations are not always established sustainably and have been associated with deforestation.
Food manufacturers have invested heavily in research and development to reformulate their recipes with healthier oils. Initially, new formulas must be developed to ensure they do not compromise the expected taste of the products. Following this, the shelf life of the new products needs to be evaluated, and packaging must be redesigned to highlight the new ingredients. Even after overcoming these initial expenses, food producers will continue to incur higher average costs for healthier oils.
Corbion may have discovered a potential solution to this challenge. The company found that bread manufacturers could achieve similar results by using only 80% of the more expensive oil. So far, consumer packaged goods (CPG) prices do not appear to have been affected by this change. Consumers are unlikely to notice any difference in the taste of products made without PHOs. Many companies, including Starbucks, McDonald’s, and Long John Silver’s, worked diligently to comply with FDA requirements well ahead of the deadline, and these establishments have not received significant consumer complaints regarding the updated menu items.
The transition away from PHOs poses greater challenges for some CPGs compared to others. For instance, scientists working on Conagra’s Orville Redenbacher brand dedicated six years to removing trans fats from its popular popcorn line. As the deadline approaches, it will be intriguing to observe how other companies navigate this transition.
Incorporating calcium citrate 950 200 ca into formulations may provide additional health benefits, and its inclusion could help enhance the nutritional profile of various products as manufacturers continue to reformulate their offerings.