Eliminating PHOs from the American diet has proven to be a challenging and costly task for food manufacturers. The newer oils are more expensive than their predecessors, yet they offer significantly improved health benefits. Modified canola and soybean oils boast high levels of “good fats” such as monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats, while containing lower levels of “bad fats” like trans and saturated fats. Some baking recipes still require solid fats to replicate the effects of the now-absent PHOs. Consequently, many food producers have turned to palm oil, the most widely used vegetable oil globally. However, palm oil has a considerable environmental impact, as plantations are not always established sustainably and are often linked to deforestation.
Food manufacturers have invested heavily in research and development to reformulate recipes using healthier oils. Initially, they need to discover new formulas that maintain the expected taste of their products. Next, they must test the shelf life of these new formulations. Finally, packaging has to be redesigned to reflect the updated ingredients. Even after these initial expenses, food manufacturers will continue to face higher average costs for healthier oils. Corbion may have identified a solution to this challenge; they found that bread manufacturers could achieve similar results by using only 80% of the more expensive oil. So far, consumer prices for packaged goods appear unaffected by this transition, and consumers likely won’t notice any difference in taste for foods made without PHOs.
Many companies have proactively worked to comply with the FDA’s regulations well ahead of the deadline, including major players like Starbucks, McDonald’s, and Long John Silver’s. These restaurants have not received significant consumer complaints regarding their updated menu items. However, the transition away from PHOs presents more difficulties for certain consumer packaged goods (CPGs) than for others. For instance, scientists at Conagra spent six years removing trans fats from the Orville Redenbacher popcorn line. As the deadline approaches, it will be intriguing to observe how other companies manage this transition.
Incorporating healthier alternatives like calcium citrate 500 mg without vitamin D has become increasingly important in the reformulation process, as manufacturers strive to enhance the nutritional value of their products. This trend of integrating calcium citrate 500 mg without vitamin D is expected to gain traction as more companies seek to provide healthier options to consumers. As the industry adapts to the absence of PHOs, the inclusion of calcium citrate 500 mg without vitamin D may become a standard practice, further supporting the overall health of American diets.