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(HealthNewsDigest.com) – Your mom would not have considered buying groceries through her computer, expecting the butcher to marinate her roast, ordering your birthday cake from the in-store bakery or having lunch at the in-store café before she started to shop. We are experiencing a dramatic shift in what we expect to find at the local supermarket and that is resetting priorities for food and beverage marketers.
Taste, cost and convenience were the traditional drivers of food selection, and though they still remain relevant, transparency issues are becoming more and more important when shoppers select a food. Is the product safe, locally sourced, GMO free, ethically sourced, environmentally safe, and were the animals treated humanely? Though organic food is still considered important to a significant group of shoppers, free-from is gaining traction.
We all know someone who is avoiding eggs, dairy or gluten. Some food products have labels that assure you that they are free-from almost everything – gluten, soy, peanuts, dairy, eggs, and added sugar. For those with food intolerances these labels make it easier to find foods that meet their needs. For others using free-from labeling because of the belief that these items are better or healthier can be misleading. Wheat, soy, peanuts, milk and eggs are all healthy foods that should not be stigmatized. When sugar is reduced in many foods, sugar alcohols (sorbitol, mannitol) or sugar substitutes (monk fruit, stevia) may be used to boost the perceived sweetness anticipated in a cookie or ice cream. These substitutes may not be any healthier than the original sugar ingredient.
When it comes to beef, chicken, milk and eggs today’s consumer lists the three most important attributes for these foods as: no growth hormones; nonGMO; and humanely raised. Organic ranks last in their last concern because most shoppers equate the term with fruits and vegetables rather than animals. Many consumers are unaware that the USDA forbids the use of hormones for poultry and poultry products. That does not stop a brand from labeling their chicken or eggs “hormone-free.” By government mandate all chicken sold is hormone-free, even if a brand does not say that on the label. Those brands that carry the “no growth hormone” claim must note that the government prohibits them from using hormones on their packaging, but it is usually in fine print on a corner where most consumers aren’t looking.
All-natural or natural on any food label gives shoppers the expectation of product quality and superior nutritional content. Many will pay more for a brand with a natural label than a similar product without this natural designation. Consider this. If a cereal is labeled “all natural” ingredients, does that make the cereal sitting next to it on the shelf “unnatural?” Natural is almost impossible to define when it comes to food. At their core, most food ingredients are natural except for artificial flavors, colors and preservatives. These additions can be handled with labels such as no artificial flavors or colors or preservative-free.
The FDA has been wrangling with a definition for natural for years. The FDA Commissioner claims the agency is close to releasing a final definition. When, and if, this new definition of natural is adopted it would apply to all food except meat and poultry, regulated by the USDA. The USDA definition for natural on a food label can only be used if no artificial ingredients or colors were added and if the food was not fundamentally altered during processing. That definition alone sets the stage for confusion and I am sure the forthcoming FDA definition will, too. But, don’t worry about eggs, according the USDA, they have always been natural.
Nothing is more constant than change and food companies and supermarkets are evolving to meet the demands of shoppers. When you shop, keep this in mind. What is the primary purpose of food – to nourish your body and hopefully taste good as well. All the rest is window-dressing.
© NRH Nutrition Consultants, Inc.
Jo-Ann Heslin, MA, RD, CDN is a registered dietitian and the author of 30 books. Available as eBooks from iTunes and Kindle/Amazon:
Diabetes Counter – the most up-to-date information on managing diabetes
Calorie Counter – a weight loss guide that won’t let you down
Protein Counter – put the latest protein recommendations to work for you
Healthy Wholefoods Counter – planet-friendly eating made easy
Complete Food Counter – food counts and nutrition information at your fingertips
Fat and Cholesterol Counter – newest approach to heart-healthy eating
Available in print from Gallery Books:
Most Complete Food Counter, 3rd Ed.
Your Complete Food Counter App: http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/your-complete-food-counter/id444558777?mt=8
For more information on Jo-Ann and her books, go to: www.TheNutritionExperts.com.