The Educator Magazine U.K. Jan-April 2023. - Magazine - Page 55
Clean labelling
Simply being plant based is no longer
enough as consumers want clean label
products that are sustainable, healthy,
and contain as few artificial ingredients
as possible.
Whilst alternative food solutions have
seen a surge in progression, the
ingredients list to such products are
often lengthy with a high content of
artificial or unrecognisable ingredients
and additives that help plant-based
options achieve their texture, taste,
and stability.
The idea of clean labelling is
three-fold. The first seems a relatively
simple solution of making the
ingredients list understandable for
the consumer and replacing the more
technical terminology with the
simplified and recognisable term for
that ingredient
Ascorbic acid, for example, would not
be familiar to many, but it is better
known by most of us as vitamin C.
The second is more about the
formulation of the products.
As consumers are placing more
importance on knowing exactly what
they are putting in their bodies, people
are looking for limited processing and
more natural ingredients. Ultimately,
they are looking for a simpler, less
complicated ingredients list. And it
doesn’t stop at plant based foods.
recycled by our waste management
system.
Meat consumers are also looking
for healthier reformulations of their
favourite foods, something we can
expect to see emerging over the
coming year. Another consideration
for clean labelling is where the
ingredients come from and how they
are produced.
Measures to reduce waste will become
even more significant in the need to
deal with food inflation and maximise
budgets, whilst having the added
benefit of a positive impact on
sustainability. Avoiding overbuying
stock and checking deliveries match
orders, storing and labelling food
correctly, managing portion control
and not overextending the menu are a
few actions that can help in reducing
waste.
Supply chain traceability and
sustainability
With many consumers looking to follow
a more ethical and sustainable diet,
supply chain traceability with a minimal
environmental impact is an ongoing
trend and one that continues to gain
momentum.
The clear communication of the source
of ingredients also
attributes to clean labelling, with
symbols and logos for Red Tractor
Assurance, Carbon Trust Footprint and
Rainforest Alliance being a few that are
used within the UK. And clean
labelling does not stop at the physical
food or drink item. With so much focus
on reuse, reduce, recycle within the UK
to help manage our waste and reduce
the reliance on single use plastic,
manufacturers are under a lot of
scrutiny to use recycled materials in
their packaging and to ensure that
food and drink packaging can be easily
Focus on gut and immune system
A more specific trend we can expect to
see develop into next year is a focus on
immune and gut health and how food
and drink can support this.
With a variety of products already on
the market, functional beverages will
continue to emerge. Fermented drinks
such as kombucha offer antioxidant
properties and immune system support
outside of the more traditional
fermented foods such as yoghurt,
cheese, and sauerkraut. Accelerated by
the Covid-19 pandemic, food is very
much seen as a wellness category,
with the marketing of foods to support
mental health as well as reducing
inflammation, improving the body’s
absorption of vitamins and minerals,
and promoting gut health.