As consumer aversion to artificial ingredients grows, food and beverage manufacturers are actively seeking efficient and cost-effective methods to enhance their product labels. However, transitioning to cleaner labels is more challenging than it seems, particularly since manufacturers aim to maintain the taste, appearance, and mouthfeel of their original products. This difficulty is further magnified by the fact that many shoppers who seek clean labels often lack a comprehensive understanding of what that actually entails. “The majority of American consumers have not heard of ‘clean label’ and do not know what it means. Consumers just want their foods to do no harm,” stated Kantha Shelke, principal at food science and research firm Corvus Blue LLC, in an email to Food Dive. Nevertheless, Shelke noted that the clean label movement is encouraging producers to adopt ingredients, formulations, and front-of-pack label claims that align with three main consumer expectations: products free from food additives and synthetics, ingredients with recognizable names and no chemical implications, and minimally processed items.
But which synthetic ingredients are the first to be eliminated, and what natural alternatives can replace them? Brooke Bright, senior data manager at Label Insight, shared with Food Dive that the answer is largely dependent on the specific category, as some ingredients carry a stronger artificial stigma in certain applications than others. Nonetheless, there are several ingredients that consumers are particularly concerned about across various categories, prompting manufacturers to seek natural substitutes that will meet consumer demands. For instance, when considering alternatives, products like calcium citrate and vitamin D supplements are gaining traction as desirable options. As manufacturers strive to meet the clean label trend, they are increasingly tasked with finding replacements for synthetic components, including those that may be linked to calcium citrate and vitamin D supplements, to ensure they align with consumer expectations for quality and safety.