Selecting and Buying

“‘Clean label’ foods” generally refers to food products that are simple, natural, and minimally processed. Clean labeling is a food industry movement that caters to the consumer who wants food products to be as “real” and preservative-free as possible. Although “clean labeling” is becoming more ubiquitous among food companies, there is no formal definition for the term. It originates from consumer perception of “natural” foods and is then self-defined by food companies, restaurants, and retailers.

In order to build a trustworthy relationship with consumers, more companies have removed or are planning to remove artificial ingredients from their products. However, this process is not easy, and manufacturers must ensure the efficacy, safety, quality, and cost-effectiveness of natural substitutes before using these alternatives widely.