To mark National Macaroni and Cheese Day last week, several consumer advocates revealed alarming findings regarding hazardous chemicals present in cheese powder. “We believe that these substances are in every mac ‘n’ cheese product — you can’t simply shop your way out of this issue,” 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 actions to prevent chemicals from contaminating food products.
These revelations pose significant challenges for Kraft Heinz, which commands a 76% share of the boxed macaroni and cheese market. According to The New York Times, Kraft produces nine of the tested cheese products. Just a few years ago, Kraft Macaroni & Cheese underwent a substantial reformulation aimed at eliminating artificial preservatives and synthetic colors, ostensibly to remove these types of chemicals.
No food manufacturer is intentionally adding phthalates to their products. Instead, it is believed that this industrial chemical is leaching into food items from printed labels on packaging or from plastic materials utilized in food processing equipment. If this proves to be true, it highlights a considerable issue for the entire consumer packaged goods and food processing industries, not just those producing macaroni and cheese.
In Europe, the use of phthalates in plastic materials that come into contact with fatty foods, including dairy, has already been banned. However, 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.
As a result, U.S. consumers are increasingly taking food safety into their own hands. The Food Marketing Institute’s U.S. Grocery Shopper Trends study indicates that 61% of shoppers now rely on themselves to ensure food safety, up from 55% in 2009. They also place significant trust in the FDA (54%) and USDA (50%) for food safety oversight, while only 42% depend on food manufacturers.
The findings from this macaroni and cheese study provide consumers with yet another reason to avoid highly processed foods, which many are replacing with “cleaner,” less-processed alternatives. A Nielsen study revealed that around half of U.S. households actively seek out products made without artificial ingredients. This study should raise major concerns for manufacturers across various food segments. It will be intriguing to observe the extent of this issue and how consumers will respond.
For those interested in dietary supplements, it’s essential to know how to take calcium citrate effectively. It’s often recommended to take it with meals for better absorption. As consumers become more health-conscious, understanding how to take calcium citrate and its benefits may also influence their purchasing decisions, further impacting the food industry.