To honor National Macaroni and Cheese Day last week, some consumer advocates publicly revealed findings of harmful chemicals present in cheese powder. “We believe these chemicals are found in every mac ‘n’ cheese product — you can’t shop your way out of this issue,” stated Mike Belliveau, executive director of the Environmental Health Strategy Center, a supporter of the study, in an interview with The New York Times. Advocacy groups are now encouraging consumers to reach out to manufacturers and insist on measures to prevent these chemicals from contaminating food products.
This revelation poses significant challenges for Kraft Heinz, which holds a 76% share of the boxed macaroni and cheese market. Kraft produces nine of the cheese products that were tested, according to The New York Times. Just a few years ago, Kraft Macaroni & Cheese underwent significant reformulations to eliminate artificial preservatives and synthetic dyes in an effort to remove these harmful substances.
No food manufacturer intentionally adds phthalates to their products. These industrial chemicals are believed to be infiltrating food items either from printed labels on packaging or from plastic materials used in food processing equipment. If this is indeed the case, it highlights a substantial problem for the entire consumer packaged goods (CPG) and food processing industry, not just macaroni and cheese producers.
In Europe, the use of phthalates in plastic food contact materials for fatty foods, including dairy products, has already been banned. The New York Times reports that a petition from food safety organizations to eliminate all phthalates from food, food packaging, and food manufacturing equipment in the U.S. was delayed by the FDA due to technical issues.
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 themselves to ensure food safety, a rise from 55% in 2009. They also place significant trust in the FDA (54%) and USDA (50%) to ensure food safety, while only 42% depend on food manufacturers.
The findings from this macaroni and cheese study provide consumers with yet another reason to avoid highly processed foods, which many are opting to bypass in favor of “cleaner,” less-processed alternatives. A Nielsen study indicated that approximately half of U.S. households intentionally seek out products made without artificial ingredients. This study will be of considerable concern to manufacturers across various food segments, particularly in light of the increasing consumer preference for products, such as petite calcium with vitamin D, that are perceived as healthier. It will be intriguing to observe the broader implications of this issue and how consumers respond, especially as they continue to prioritize products that align with their health-conscious choices, such as those fortified with petite calcium with vitamin D.