When we talk about healthy food, the number one concern of consumers seeking a healthier lifestyle, we inevitably address the concept of clean label. Thinking about ways to help your company achieve the desired clean label, this post will show how the evolution of ingredients can lead us to this goal and what alternatives the food industry has to replace ingredients in its formulations that are harmful to consumers' health.
Interested in learning more about this topic to enhance your business? Then we invite you to check out this content.
Have a great read!
Remembering the clean label concept
In October of this year, new rules for food labeling came into effect and, among the changes, packaging must now clearly and directly state the ingredients that make up a given product.
In this sense, foods that are high in sodium or high in sugar need to have this information prominently displayed. In other words, those with clean labels, meaning free of harmful ingredients, will have a head start.
That's why the food industry needs to achieve clean label. But the good news is that technology is on our side, and through the evolution of ingredients, achieving this goal becomes less challenging.
To discuss this topic, we had the opportunity to speak with Caroline Thaís de Oliveira, from DöhlerGroup's marketing department. She works with market intelligence and develops initiatives in conjunction with the R&D team to promote the portfolio of ingredients applied to products.
What is the consumer looking for?
According to the expert, in the eyes of those who buy her product, a clean label is closely associated with the issue of naturalness.
Caroline shared with us what consumers look for on labels. First, natural ingredients top the list. Second is information that the product contains no artificial ingredients, which is precisely the term for a clean label.
When people look for information about whether a product contains artificial ingredients, they want to know if, for example, it contains artificial colors or sweeteners.
In other words: naturalness is totally associated with clean label.
How does innovation lead us to clean labels?
The food industry has been revolutionizing at lightning speed, and when it comes to the development of natural ingredients, this is no different.
Sweeteners
When we delved into the food sweetening stage, for example, Caroline mentioned that there are over 60 ingredients with this purpose. But the main one is still sucrose.
This sweetener ends up being necessary not only to make the product sweeter. It's responsible for the fermentation stage and has other roles in the formulation.
When we talk about the evolution of ingredients, natural sweeteners like stevia arrived on the market in the past. It has numerous applications and, according to Caroline, its sweetness comes later than sucrose.
Next came the evolution of stevia, which is known as stevia tea. It's an infusion of stevia leaves, which is less bitter but also slightly less concentrated.
According to the expert, this ingredient has been widely used in applications such as isotonic drinks, energy products, and even tea blends. Therefore, it is a natural ingredient and qualifies for clean label.
There are also other natural sweetener options, such as apple fructose, which doesn't have the characteristics of apple juice but acts as a sweetener. Today, according to Caroline, this product has been used in products such as confectionery, jelly beans, and some beverages.
Finally, there's oat concentrate, which removes the sweetness from the oats and turns them into a soluble product. You can use this ingredient on your label without declaring it as sugar.
Dyes
Artificial colors are the villains of food and developing natural alternatives is a top priority for the industry.
There are already solutions that have been showing excellent results and, according to Caroline, it is a pigmentation process that comes from fruits and vegetables and, on the label, they appear as natural coloring or even as anthocyanin from carrots.
However, natural dyes, also known as color concentrates, are already evolving. They are produced by pressing and drying vegetables and fruits and are controlled by the concentration factor.
The expert explains that they have very similar processes, and the second is described on the label as carrot concentrate, for example.
Caroline highlights that when the industry focuses on the natural color spectrum, nature offers a world of possibilities.
Aromas
Now addressing the evolution of aromas, replacing artificial ones, Caroline highlights that there is a large movement in the industry today using aromas identical to natural ones.
It is considered the middle ground between natural and artificial, and this is the stage at which most food industries are.
However, Caroline highlighted that brands have been working hard to develop clean label flavorings, and a next step in innovation is expected in this segment.
Natural flavoring, as the name suggests, is obtained from natural raw materials. And, in addition to this alternative, there are also Add-Back flavorings. These come from the raw materials of the original fruit.
In other words: it is capable of naturally restoring the orange aroma of industrialized juice.
What do we expect for the coming years?
To conclude this article, Caroline says that a short-term trend is the association of health, nutrition, and naturalness. In particular, the abandonment of ultra-processed foods is expected, focusing on consumer well-being.
When we talk about medium-term trends, we think about the sustainability of ingredients, involving issues such as water consumption and CO2 emissions.
Finally, in the long term, the expert predicts that brands will take a more assertive and consumer-focused stance on these issues.
In conclusion, we hope the food industry will become increasingly committed to providing consumers with more nutritious and high-quality food. After all, nature is our future.
Did you find this content relevant? Then keep following our blog for more content like this!
