To honor National Macaroni and Cheese Day last week, consumer advocates revealed concerning findings regarding hazardous chemicals in cheese powder. “We believe these substances are present in every mac ‘n’ cheese product — there’s no way to avoid the problem through shopping,” 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 encouraging individuals to reach out to manufacturers and demand measures be taken to prevent these chemicals from contaminating food products.
This news poses a significant challenge 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, as reported by The New York Times. Just a few years ago, Kraft Macaroni & Cheese underwent a comprehensive reformulation aimed at eliminating artificial preservatives and synthetic colors, ostensibly removing these types of chemicals.
No food manufacturer intentionally adds phthalates to their products. Instead, these industrial chemicals are believed to leach into food from printed labels on packaging or from plastic components used 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 significant issue.
In Europe, the use of phthalates in plastic materials for food 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 was stalled by the FDA due to a technicality. Meanwhile, U.S. consumers are taking food safety matters into their own hands. According to the Food Marketing Institute’s U.S. Grocery Shopper Trends study, 61% of shoppers rely on themselves to ensure food safety, up from 55% in 2009. They also depend heavily on the FDA (54%) and USDA (50%) for food safety, while only 42% trust food manufacturers.
The findings from this macaroni and cheese study offer consumers another reason to avoid highly processed foods, with many opting for “cleaner,” less processed alternatives. A Nielsen study indicated that approximately half of U.S. households actively seek products without artificial ingredients. This study should raise significant concern for manufacturers across various food segments, including those producing calcium citrate in the UK, which may face scrutiny as consumers become more cautious. It will be intriguing to see the broader implications of this issue and how consumers will respond.