Clean label: Banned ingredients, research and consumer influence, driving industry development

01 Sep 2022 --- With consumers increasingly seeking out supplements for their health, the ingredients and details on product labels have become far more important. As the term “clean label” becomes more of a mainstay in industry, NutritionInsight speaks to experts from ADM, Lonza, Rousselot, Arla Foods Ingredients and Gencor on how the space is adapting to the changes and what challenges remain.

“While there is not one definition for what constitutes ‘clean label,’ products that have short, recognizable ingredient lists are influencing the majority of shoppers’ purchasing decisions,” says Michelle French, director global sustainability programs, ADM.

According to Lindsey Toth, director of global marketing at Lonza Capsules & Health Ingredients, the term “clean label” has evolved to become a broader umbrella trend that encompasses many key consumer preferences – from naturally sourced, vegan and vegetarian to non-GMO, kosher and Halal. Sustainability positionings and easy-to-understand ingredient lists are also increasingly important.The titanium dioxide ban has caused a tremendous change across industry.

Clean label challenges
According to Kenny Suazo, marketing associate at Gencor, some of the challenges that come with clean label consist of the need to review product formulation. Companies have been mass producing products to meet mass consumption for decades; however, consumers today demand products that are considered healthier.

“Therefore, companies must reformulate their product ingredient list to replace their synthetic equivalent; therefore, R&D efforts are necessary for ingredient replacement,” continues Suzao. 

Nonetheless, reformulating the ingredient list for an existing product is very complex and presents challenges. “For example, a new recipe for a current product that consumers love that provides the same shelf life, color, flavor, and texture can result in finished product problems,” he adds.

Toth notes another challenge for producers is that the ongoing evolution across the space means there is no official definition by the US Food and Drug Administration for clean labels. “Creating supplement solutions that deliver a ‘clean label’ promise can be tricky, especially when combined with other trending supplement positionings.”

Utilizing gelatin
Mataya Roesems, global marketing and project manager at Rousselot, explains that removing additives from an ingredient list can create issues with mouthfeel, viscosity, taste and even the stability of the final product.

“Gelatin can help with all these functionalities and properties. It is highly versatile and can be used to replace several mono-functional hydrocolloids in a single application. Completely natural, e-number free and instantly recognizable to most people as a staple pantry ingredient, no other ingredient exhibits as many functionalities as gelatin, which makes it an unrivaled asset to formulation design and clean label manufacturing.”

Clean labeling is also a challenge when it comes to plant-based formulation. Looking at capsules, hydroxypropylmethylcellulose (HPMC) or modified starch ingredients are sometimes used instead of gelatin. While both of these alternative ingredients are extracted from plants, grains or vegetables, they are also chemically modified. Gelatin, on the other hand, enables cleaner labeling, notes Roesems.

Future-proofing supplements
Demographic changes and increasing health awareness among consumers are strengthening the market products with natural, clean label, and organic positioning, explains Barbara Jensen, sales development manager at  Arla Foods Ingredients. 

“Clean label will be increasingly important not just for supplements, but also for food products with a health and wellness positioning. Demand for these products is growing globally due to the increasing health awareness of consumers, and middle-class expansion in regions like Asia.” 

Suzao highlights that science can implement and validate supplements by its transparency, capacity, and breaking through regulatory hurdles and barriers. 

“In addition, supplements and ingredients can be future-proofed by implementing traceability and sustainability practices, which are also factors that enforce and drive consumer purchasing behavior.” 

Research is set to drive innovation forward.

Banned ingredients
Colors have been particularly challenging for food, beverage and dietary supplement manufacturers to reach clean label targets, as there are still ingredients and solutions used that may not meet consumers’ clean label perceptions, highlights Hélène Moeller, vice president, global product marketing, flavors at ADM.

“The EU’s ban on titanium dioxide was an especially large shift for the industry, as manufacturers sought out alternative options. Common white color alternatives, such as modified starch, calcium carbonate and calcium phosphate, can each pose a range of labeling and formulation drawbacks, including poor solubility and requiring chemical modification to overcome complications.”

Caramel is another widely used color in the food industry that has been a subject of scrutiny. As manufacturers move away from this ingredient, there is an opportunity for the introduction of stable, brown hues that are derived from a natural source, she adds. 

“Replacements for carmine and cochineal are also in demand, particularly as consumer awareness of these sources increases. With that said, plant-based alternative solutions are poised for growth. Innovation in this space continues to expand, and soon we will see new color solutions that more closely align with consumers’ clean label perceptions and can hold up in a variety of processing conditions,” concludes Moeller. 

According to Suazo, fluoride is another “tricky” ingredient. “This element was revered as nature’s best when researchers fluoridated water as public health achievement. However, over time concerns about fluoride toxicity arose around the world, causing some countries to ban the use of fluoride.”

She notes that fluoride can be found in water, milk, salt, dental care products and practices. “Health concerns and toxicity levels suggest fluoride is excellent for topical dental care but should not be ingested.” 

“As for future ingredients that may be banned, only time, science, and research will tell as consumers call for healthy ingredients, and R&D evolves and adapts alongside consumer demand.” 

By Andria Kades