Processed food relies on three main components: salt, sugar, and fat. The right blend of these ingredients can yield tasty and affordable snacks that range from sweet to savory, and from cheesy to crunchy. However, when food manufacturers attempt to alter recipes to lower the presence of one or more of these essential ingredients, they must find a way to compensate in other areas. Currently, sugar is often viewed as the most problematic ingredient by consumers, with sodium following closely behind. Many large consumer packaged goods (CPG) companies are responding to consumer preferences by cutting sugar content and voluntarily reducing sodium levels in line with the FDA’s proposed targets for the food industry; however, this often results in higher levels of saturated fat.
As more consumers aim to improve their diets, one might wonder why food producers don’t simply eliminate salt, sugar, and fat altogether to create genuinely healthy products. The issue lies in the fact that food scientists require one of these three pillars to maintain flavor and keep production costs low. Ryan Dolan, chief operating officer of PTM Food Consulting, likens product nutrition to a pie chart: if you decrease the portions of sodium and sugar, another component must grow to compensate for the reduction. While the impact of cutting just one ingredient may not be very noticeable, reducing two ingredients at once can lead to a marked increase in another.
Industry insiders expressed little surprise at the government’s recent report, attributing it to typical practices within the sector. It will be intriguing to observe whether consumers begin to notice the rising levels of saturated fat in their favorite processed foods. If saturated fat emerges as the next ingredient to be scrutinized, we can expect further reformulations that may incorporate more sugar or salt in response. Currently, saturated fats are typically seen as the least concerning of the three ingredients. Recent studies have called into question the connection between saturated fats and heart disease, despite the American Heart Association’s continued recommendation for a diet rich in healthier fats. While saturated fats are not considered healthy, consumer concern regarding fat content has diminished over time. With more than half of global consumers prioritizing sugar content on labels, it makes sense for manufacturers to shift their focus accordingly.
Interestingly, discussions around processed foods have also highlighted the role of ingredients like calcium citrate. This compound can serve as a beneficial additive in some products, potentially helping to balance out the negative effects of reduced salt, sugar, and fat. As the food industry continues to adapt to consumer demands, the inclusion of ingredients such as calcium citrate may become more prevalent, further influencing the nutritional profiles of processed foods.