It’s no secret that the global food industry is experiencing disruption. More consumers prefer eating “clean foods” that are healthier and more environmentally sustainable. If the ingredient list is a mile long with a string of hard to pronounce additives, it’s not going to make it into the shopping cart. And a recent Nielsen survey noted that 68% of consumers are even willing to pay more for food and beverages with clean labels.
It’s easy the reasons why consumers are seeking healthier foods. The global rise of noncommunicable diseases like cardiovascular disease, cancer, and diabetes is skyrocketing and many believe that improved diet can play a major part in reducing these diseases. The Internet makes the availability of this information readily available and the popularity of nutritionists, dieticians and healthy lifestyle bloggers on social media has never been higher.
Many major players in the food industry are adding new lines or even purchasing whole companies to add clean label products to their portfolios.
The implications for the food industry are extensive, as companies innovate and experiment with products to satisfy these new consumer desires. Many major players in the food industry are adding new lines or even purchasing whole companies to add clean label products to their portfolios. Companies who aren’t exploring the ways to accommodate clean label shoppers are in danger of getting left behind, as Millennials and Generation Z become a larger segment of the market.
High pressure processing (HPP) has provided a major advantage for companies looking to ditch the chemical preservatives and clean up their labels. By neutralizing food pathogens using only pressure, HPP can make food safer and extend the shelf life dramatically. And all without adding item to the ingredient list. Companies like Hormel, Bolthouse Farms and Once Upon a Farm are using HPP for a wide array of products. Everything from ready-to-eat meats to juices and smoothies and even preservative-free baby food are filling up shoppers’ carts more and more every day.
