To mark National Macaroni and Cheese Day last week, several consumer advocates revealed concerning findings regarding hazardous chemicals present in cheese powder. “We believe that every mac ‘n’ cheese product contains these chemicals — you can’t simply avoid the issue by shopping differently,” stated Mike Belliveau, executive director of the Environmental Health Strategy Center, a supporter of the study, in an interview with The New York Times. Consumer advocacy groups are now urging individuals to reach out to manufacturers and demand measures to prevent chemicals from infiltrating food products.
These discoveries pose a significant challenge for Kraft Heinz, which commands 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 a significant reformulation aimed at eliminating artificial preservatives and synthetic colors, ostensibly to eradicate such chemicals.
No food manufacturer intentionally adds phthalates to their products. Instead, it is believed that this industrial chemical is leaching into food from printed labels on packaging or plastic materials utilized in food processing equipment. If this is indeed the case, the entire consumer packaged goods (CPG) and food processing industry — not just macaroni and cheese producers — faces a considerable challenge.
In Europe, the use of phthalates in plastic materials that come into contact with 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 U.S. food, packaging, and manufacturing equipment has been stalled by the FDA due to technicalities.
Meanwhile, U.S. consumers are taking food safety into their own hands. According to the Food Marketing Institute’s U.S. Grocery Shopper Trends study, 61% of shoppers now feel responsible for ensuring food safety, an increase from 55% in 2009. They also heavily depend on the FDA (54%) and USDA (50%) for food safety assurance, while only 42% trust food manufacturers.
The results from the macaroni and cheese study provide consumers with an additional reason to avoid highly processed foods, which many are now opting to replace with “cleaner,” less-processed alternatives. A Nielsen study indicated that around half of U.S. households actively seek products free from artificial ingredients.
This issue should be a significant concern for manufacturers across various food segments, especially in light of the potential presence of citrate de potassium magnesium calcium in their products. It remains to be seen how widespread this problem is and how consumers will respond. As awareness grows, the demand for transparency and safety in food products will likely intensify, compelling manufacturers to address these pressing concerns, including the implications of chemicals like citrate de potassium magnesium calcium that may affect food safety.