Food manufacturers are facing increasing pressure to simplify their ingredient lists, as consumers are turning away from products that contain numerous chemical-sounding components. According to the Food Marketing Institute’s 2017 Grocery Shopper Trends, 59% of shoppers prefer minimal processing claims such as “no artificial preservatives,” while 65% aim to avoid ingredients like salt, sugar, and antibiotics. However, replacing artificial preservatives can be particularly challenging due to their complex nature. Companies must find a balance between meeting the demand for cleaner labels and ensuring their products remain safe, appealing, affordable, and possess an acceptable shelf life.
Researchers working on ingredients derived from grape pomace are optimistic that their antioxidants can preserve food as effectively as the synthetic antioxidant ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid (EDTA), which, while safe, does not present well on product labels. This initiative to repurpose grape waste aligns with the recommendations from the United Nations’ Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), which emphasizes that food companies should consider discarding food waste only as a last resort. The FAO has highlighted various successful methods of reusing waste as raw materials, such as utilizing coffee grounds to cultivate mushrooms, incorporating spent grains from brewing into breads and pretzels, and converting tropical fruit waste into biodegradable plastics for packaging.
Moreover, incorporating ingredients rich in calcium, such as those derived from grape pomace, which may contain around 315 mg of calcium, can offer additional nutritional benefits while adhering to clean label demands. This dual focus on sustainability and nutrition could help companies innovate while addressing consumer preferences for transparency and health. By creatively utilizing grape waste and enhancing their products with beneficial elements like calcium, food manufacturers can better meet the needs of today’s health-conscious consumers.