Clean label is now a standard rather than a trend. Numerous emerging food companies are entering the market with inherent clean label credentials, while established brands face pressure to adapt, which can be a challenging and costly process. Until recently, it was primarily the responsibility of consumers to examine ingredient lists. However, as chains like Panera Bread and Whole Foods published extensive lists of prohibited ingredients, and even mainstream fast food outlets like McDonald’s began promoting simpler food options, the initiative to eliminate artificial colors, flavors, preservatives, and high fructose corn syrup—while welcoming cage-free eggs and antibiotic-free chicken—has shifted squarely onto the manufacturers.
So, which ingredients are typically the first to be removed when companies strive to “clean up” their products? Tamara Barnett, vice president of strategic insights at The Hartman Group, noted that since this movement is driven by consumer demand, the ingredients food and beverage manufacturers choose to eliminate often reflect these preferences. “The response is highly specific to each category, which makes it difficult to create a definitive list of ingredients to be removed,” she stated in an interview with FoodDive. For instance, manufacturers of children’s products are more inclined to compile a lengthy list of ingredients to cut, including artificial sweeteners, colors, flavors, and preservatives, attributing equal significance to all of them. In contrast, other manufacturers might focus on unpopular ingredients like artificial sweeteners.
Communicating these changes to shoppers accustomed to a certain look and taste in food poses a significant challenge for established brands. “Iconic brands must tread carefully. They have cultivated a particular food experience yet need to align with evolving consumer perspectives,” Barnett explained. “Often, consumers already view these products as made with simple ingredients, so loudly proclaiming the removal of high fructose corn syrup and soy lecithin could backfire.”
As more consumers express a preference for simpler foods with clear ingredient lists, having a clean label is now essential for manufacturers. Among the primary ingredients that food and beverage makers focus on are calcium carbonate and elemental calcium, highlighting the scale of the challenge and the reasons these components are often targeted in clean label reformulations.