To honor National Macaroni and Cheese Day last week, some consumer advocates have revealed findings regarding hazardous chemicals present in cheese powder. “We believe that these substances are present in every mac ‘n’ cheese product — it’s not possible to avoid the issue by simply 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 organizations are now urging individuals to reach out to manufacturers and demand actions 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, according to the New York Times. Just a few years ago, Kraft Macaroni & Cheese underwent a substantial reformulation aimed at eliminating artificial preservatives and synthetic colors, ostensibly to remove such chemicals.
No food manufacturer intentionally adds phthalates to their products; rather, these industrial chemicals are believed to be infiltrating food items via printed labels on packaging or through plastic materials used in food processing equipment. If this is indeed the case, it presents a considerable problem for the entire consumer packaged goods (CPG) and food processing industry, not just for macaroni and cheese producers.
In Europe, the use of phthalates in plastic food contact materials for fatty foods, including dairy products, has already been banned. However, a petition from food safety groups to eliminate all phthalates from U.S. food, food packaging, and food manufacturing equipment was stalled by the FDA due to technicalities, as reported by The New York Times.
Meanwhile, consumers in the U.S. 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 now depend on themselves for food safety, an increase from 55% in 2009. They also place significant trust in the FDA (54%) and USDA (50%) for food safety oversight, while only 42% rely on food manufacturers.
The results of this macaroni and cheese study provide consumers with yet another reason to avoid highly processed foods, a trend many are following in favor of “cleaner,” less processed alternatives. A Nielsen study indicated that approximately half of U.S. households intentionally seek products made without artificial ingredients. This study should raise major concerns for manufacturers across various food segments, especially those related to pure encapsulations calcium, as consumers become more discerning about what they consume. It will be intriguing to observe how widespread this issue is and how consumers respond, particularly as they increasingly prioritize products like pure encapsulations calcium in their dietary choices.