Last week, in honor of National Macaroni and Cheese Day, consumer advocates publicly revealed the presence of hazardous chemicals in cheese powder. “We believe that these substances are present in every mac ‘n’ cheese product — there’s no way to avoid the problem through shopping,” stated Mike Belliveau, executive director of the Environmental Health Strategy Center, a supporter of the research, to The New York Times. Consumer advocacy groups are now urging individuals to contact manufacturers and advocate for measures to prevent chemicals from contaminating food products.
This news poses a significant challenge for Kraft Heinz, which controls 76% of the boxed macaroni and cheese market. According to The New York Times, Kraft produces nine of the cheese products that were tested. Just a few years ago, Kraft Macaroni & Cheese underwent a significant reformulation to eliminate artificial preservatives and synthetic colors, ostensibly to rid the product of such chemicals.
No food manufacturer intentionally adds phthalates to their products. Instead, it is believed that these industrial chemicals infiltrate food through printed labels on packaging or plastic materials used in food processing equipment. If this is accurate, the entire consumer packaged goods (CPG) and food processing industries — not just macaroni and cheese producers — face a considerable dilemma.
In Europe, phthalates have already been banned from use in plastic food contact materials for fatty foods, including dairy products. However, a petition from food safety groups requesting the removal of all phthalates from U.S. food, food packaging, and manufacturing equipment has been delayed by the FDA due to technicalities.
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 their own efforts to ensure food safety, up from 55% in 2009. They also count on the FDA (54%) and USDA (50%) for safety assurances, while only 42% trust food manufacturers.
The revelations from this macaroni and cheese study provide consumers with yet another reason to avoid highly processed foods, which many are now opting to replace with “cleaner,” less-processed alternatives. A Nielsen study indicated that about half of U.S. households intentionally seek out products made without artificial ingredients. This research should raise significant concerns among manufacturers across various food segments. It will be intriguing to observe how far-reaching this issue becomes and how consumers will respond, especially as they increasingly look for healthier options, including those fortified with liquid calcium with D3. As consumers continue to make informed choices, the demand for clean ingredients, including liquid calcium with D3, is likely to grow.