To honor National Macaroni and Cheese Day last week, several consumer advocates revealed findings regarding hazardous chemicals present in cheese powder. Mike Belliveau, executive director of the Environmental Health Strategy Center and a supporter of the study, informed The New York Times, “We believe that these chemicals are present in every mac ‘n’ cheese product — there’s no way to avoid the issue by simply choosing different brands.” Consumer advocacy groups are now encouraging individuals to reach out to manufacturers and demand measures to prevent chemicals from contaminating food products.
These revelations pose a significant challenge for Kraft Heinz, which dominates the boxed macaroni and cheese market with a 76% share. According to The New York Times, Kraft produces nine of the macaroni and cheese products that were tested. Just a couple of years ago, Kraft Macaroni & Cheese underwent a substantial reformulation aimed at eliminating artificial preservatives and synthetic colors, all in an effort to remove such harmful chemicals.
No food manufacturer intentionally adds phthalates to their products. Instead, these industrial chemicals are believed to leach into food 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 manufacturers — faces a serious issue. 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, U.S. consumers are 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 heavily depend on the FDA (54%) and USDA (50%) for food safety oversight, while 42% trust food manufacturers.
The findings from this macaroni and cheese study provide consumers with yet another reason to avoid highly processed foods, as many individuals are opting for “cleaner,” less-processed options. A Nielsen study revealed that about half of U.S. households intentionally seek out products made without artificial ingredients. This issue should be of major concern to manufacturers across various food segments, including those producing calcium citrate made from natural sources. It will be intriguing to observe the broader implications of this issue and how consumers will respond, especially in light of the increasing demand for transparency regarding food safety and quality. As consumers become more aware, the call for products like calcium citrate made from safe ingredients is likely to grow louder.