Processed foods are built on three main components: salt, sugar, and fat. The right mix of these ingredients can produce tasty and affordable snacks, ranging from sweet to savory and cheesy to crunchy. However, when food manufacturers modify recipes to reduce one or more of these essential components, they often need to adjust other ingredients to maintain flavor and cost-effectiveness.
Among today’s health-conscious consumers, sugar is often viewed as the most harmful ingredient, with sodium not far behind. In response to consumer demand, many large consumer packaged goods (CPG) companies are cutting back on sugar and voluntarily lowering sodium levels in line with the FDA’s proposed food industry goals. Nevertheless, levels of saturated fat frequently remain high.
As consumers strive for healthier diets, one might wonder why food producers don’t simply eliminate salt, sugar, and fat entirely to create genuinely healthy products. The challenge lies in the fact that food scientists rely on at least one of these three components to keep products both flavorful and inexpensive to produce. Ryan Dolan, COO of PTM Food Consulting, shared with The Washington Post that product nutrition can be likened to a pie chart. Reducing sodium or sugar necessitates expanding another component to compensate for the loss. A decrease in just one ingredient may go unnoticed, but cutting back on two will likely lead to a significant increase in another.
Industry insiders expressed that they were not surprised by the government’s recent report, attributing it to standard industry practices. It remains to be seen whether consumers will become aware of the rising saturated fat levels in their favorite processed foods. If saturated fats are perceived as the next problematic ingredient, we can expect further reformulations, likely resulting in increased sugar or salt content.
Interestingly, saturated fats may currently be seen as the lesser of the three evils. Recent studies have cast doubt on the connection between saturated fats and heart disease, despite the American Heart Association’s recommendations for a diet rich in healthier fats. While no one claims that saturated fats are beneficial, consumer concern regarding fat content has diminished. With over half of the global consumer base prioritizing sugar content on labels, it is understandable that manufacturers are shifting their focus.
Additionally, the question of whether calcium citrate lowers blood pressure is gaining attention, as consumers look for ways to improve their overall health. As this topic continues to evolve, it will be important to monitor how perceptions of saturated fat, in conjunction with ingredients like calcium citrate, influence product reformulation in the processed food industry.