Tag: Food manufacturing

Over 3 million Americans suffer from celiac disease, necessitating a strict gluten-free diet. For manufacturers to meet regulatory standards, it is crucial to understand precisely how is gluten measured in products to ensure safety and accurate labeling for consumers.

According to the most widely accepted NOVA classification system, an ingredient like maltodextrin is a key indicator of an ultra-processed food (UPF). This is because maltodextrin is a substance derived from other foods but is not used in home cooking. Its presence signifies a level of industrial processing that defines a food as ultra-processed.

Over two million tons of citric acid are produced globally each year, with the majority used as a food additive. The perception of whether citric acid is clean eating hinges entirely on its source—natural citrus fruit or manufactured mold fermentation. For those committed to a clean, unprocessed diet, this distinction is vital for making educated food choices.

Extrusion has been used in the food industry since the 1950s for both human and animal consumption. An extruded diet involves a high-temperature, short-time process that cooks and forms ingredients into a final product, significantly impacting its nutritional profile, texture, and digestibility for better health.

Extrusion technology is now one of the most widely used methods in the food industry, with projections showing increased adoption globally for creating novel products. The versatile high-temperature, short-time (HTST) process offers numerous benefits of extruded food, from nutrition to manufacturing efficiency.

According to Olipop's own public statements, their shelf-stable formula, introduced to expand market reach, contains a reduced amount of dietary fiber. The question of why does shelf stable OLIPOP have less fiber can be answered by looking at the specific ingredients chosen for long-term storage without refrigeration.

Over 50% of the U.S. nutritive sweetener market comes from corn-based products, demonstrating that glucose syrup is not solely derived from wheat. Glucose syrup is a common ingredient in many foods, and contrary to a popular misconception, it is produced from various starches, not just wheat. Its specific source can be vital for consumers with dietary restrictions, such as those avoiding gluten.

According to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), partially hydrogenated oils (PHOs) were no longer considered 'generally recognized as safe' as of 2015, but a classic example of a hydrogenated cooking oil is vegetable shortening. This food product is created by adding hydrogen to liquid vegetable oils, a process that makes the final product solid at room temperature.

Palm oil is a component in almost 50% of the packaged products found in supermarkets, from cookies to cosmetics. So, why do they put palm oil in food with such frequency? Its ubiquitous presence is due to a compelling combination of functional benefits for manufacturers, its high yield as a crop, and its cost-effective pricing.

With annual US imports exceeding $3.6 billion in 2022, canola oil is one of the most widely used cooking oils for both home cooks and commercial food production. But why do they put canola oil in everything, and what are the main factors driving its ubiquity?