Allergens, Going Beyond Just Peanuts

The hot topics in the food industry today are gluten and GMOs, but manufacturers cannot overlook the common food allergies that are responsible for approximately 90% of allergic reactions. Specifically, the FDA requires food producers to declare the presence of eight common allergen ingredients – milk, eggs, peanuts, tree nuts, fish, shellfish, soy and wheat. One or more of these ingredients is likely present in a given processed food item, making life difficult for those with food allergies.

Food allergies are nothing new, but as their incidence is on the rise, the market for allergen-free goods continues to grow. According to the US CDC, between 1997 and 2007, the world saw an 18% increase in the presence of food allergies in children under the age of 18. In addition, 4% of children worldwide have a food allergy, causing them to be 2-4 times more likely to develop additional allergies. Without a doubt, these children deserve access to safe, allergen-free foods.

Therefore, in March of 2013, the University of Manchester in the United Kingdom launched a three-year international study on food allergies. The goal is to create a standard approach to allergen-management for food manufacturers and industry regulatory agencies. The study brings together experts from around the world and is supported by the UK Food Standards Agency. This goes to show that there is still room for the allergen-free foods industry to grow.

In recent years, many companies have chosen cater to allergen-free consumers and have expanded allergen-free product variety. This calls for sourcing ingredients with caution, operating in allergen-free facilities, and testing for even traces of common allergens in finished goods. Labeling must be precise, and suppliers are even monitoring the post-production handling of their products to ensure food safety. Companies that do not adopt these practices run the risk of subjecting consumers to allergic reactions.

Eliminating allergens is no easy task. Many manufacturers are finding it difficult to locate allergen-free ingredients, and ingredient suppliers are working to develop them. However, RIBUS has already created functional, allergen-free replacements for many common allergy-inducing ingredients utilizing the natural qualities of rice. Instead of subjecting consumers to uncertainty, trust RIBUS.

Sources:

http://www.naturalproductsinsider.com/articles/2010/04/allergen-free-product-formulation.aspx

http://www.foodprocessing-technology.com/news/newsuniversity-of-manchester-commences-international-study-on-food-allergies

Natural vs. Organic...Round 1

How about some Polydimethylsiloxane, Hydrogen Peroxide, Silicon Dioxide, and Glycerides for dinner?

Though this sentence will not be overheard in common households, it oftentimes still applies. These chemicals can be found in processed food products in kitchens nationwide. They serve as emulsifiers, dough conditioners, anti-caking agents, and even anti-foaming agents. Sounds delicious, right?

Not so much. Consumers have been paying attention to ingredient labels, and are not interested in foods created in a science laboratory. One should not need a chemistry degree to read a food label!

That said, shoppers are now looking for “clean label” products – simple, organic items with minimal processing and free from allergens. Though it does not have a clear definition, “clean label” typically suggests transparency from the producer, building trust in the product. The impact of this trend on the food industry is evident. According to the Datamonitor Group, the amount of gluten-free products on the global food market has risen from 2.9% in 2007 to 6.8% in 2013. These rates are even higher in the United States, where the prevalence has increased from 6.4% to 16.7% in the same period.

However, the idea of “clean label” goes beyond “natural” claims. In fact, many consumers have grown wary of “natural” products, as food producers often bend the implied meaning of the term. This is not unexpected, considering that the United States Food and Drug Administration has provided no formal definition of “natural” in relation to food and beverage production. Again, this consumer inclination is evident as the number of products on the market worldwide with a natural claim fell from 8.8% in 2007 to 6.3% in 2013. The trend is even more noticeable in the United States, where the amount has fallen from 33% to 22% from 2007 to present.

In response to this confusion, the National Organic Program (NOP) defined “natural” in relation to the production of organic goods. In summary, the NOP states that a substance is natural if it is derived from natural sources and does not undergo synthetic processes. This rule sets the standard for organic products, but one must still be cautious of conventional products and read the ingredient label!

Though processed foods are sometimes deceiving, this is not always the case. Whenever you see “Rice Concentrate” or “Rice Extract” listed on a food label, you can rest assured that the processor is using RIBUS products, which are derived from rice, to replace synthetics and chemicals.

Sources:

http://www.foodnavigator.com/Financial-Industry/What-do-natural-and-clean-label-mean-anyway

http://www.jdsupra.com/legalnews/defining-natural-the-national-organic-21486/

Non-GMO Ingredients...A Hot Topic This Summer

In recent years, controversy has developed around the topic of genetically modified organisms (GMOs), predominantly regarding their role in food production. There are millions of global stakeholders in this debate, including consumers, governmental organizations, scientists, and corporations. Altogether, we must determine whether genetically modified foods are safe for human consumption and healthy for the ecology of our planet.

 In agriculture, GMOs are plants that have had their genetic material altered to produce a desired trait, such as herbicide resistance or improved shelf life. These traits allow farmers to increase the world food supply to meet the needs of our growing population, and proponents argue that genetically modified plants pose no greater threat to humans than their conventional counterparts. Opponents, on the other hand, feel that the potential long-term impact of genetically modified plants has not been taken into consideration, and question the neutrality of regulatory agencies. Many individuals in the middle ground hold that consumers have a right to know if food products contain genetically modified ingredients, and would prefer for this information to be available on the label.

From a food industry perspective, manufacturers must now choose whether or not to use genetically modified ingredients in their products. The consumer demand for non-GMO food products has been on the rise in recent years, and many companies have chosen to cater to this market. In fact, Whole Foods announced in March 2013 that all products sold in its stores must be labeled to alert consumers if they contain genetically modified ingredients. For this reason, suppliers have seen a drastic increase in sales of non-GMO ingredients to food manufacturers not wanting to lose sales. In May 2013, more than two million people in over 50 nations protested the use of GMOs in food. This is more than another dietary trend. Consumers worldwide have turned against genetically modified food.

If manufacturers want to meet the demand for non-GMO food, synthetic processing ingredients often derived from genetically modified plants, such as soy lecithin, will have to be replaced. RIBUS can make this transition easier by providing all-natural, non-GMO alternatives to common processing aids. Give consumers what they want while improving the quality of your product with RIBUS ingredients!

Sources:

http://www.non-gmoreport.com/articles/aug10/suppliers_and_demand_for_non-gmo_ingredients.php

http://www.nytimes.com/2013/05/27/business/food-companies-seeking-ingredients-that-arent-gene-altered.html?ref=geneticallymodifiedfood&_r=2&