One of the things that people sometimes get confused about is what ‘free-from’ foods actually are. That’s because it is not as simple as it seems on the surface.
In fact, there are lots of people that believe a package when it says it is free from certain things. That may not be the case at all.
Understanding What ‘Free-From’ Foods Are
In order to meet the legal definition of being free from something, companies jump through all kinds of hoops to add that tiny little phrase to their marketing and packaging. If you can understand better what products actually mean when they say they are free from stuff like gluten or fat, you will have a much better understanding of the food that you are eating.
Eat Healthier
The first thing that you have to understand is that companies are desperate to get in on a movement that is essentially customer driven. The movement to eat healthier or at least to eat foods that seem healthier is huge, and foods that do not try to keep up and place themselves in the so-called healthy categories are going to see their sales numbers go way down.
The ironic thing is, most people don’t even know what the thing is that foods are free from. For example, packaged food at the grocery store might say free from nitrates, and people will buy it because of this label, without even knowing what nitrates really are they just assume they must be bad if a food is free from them and advertising.
Legislation
But what you have to understand is that first there is not a great deal of legislation or regulation involving the labeling of ‘free-from’ foods. Besides that, companies may only have to meet a certain percentage in order to legally claim that their food is free from that substance and in some cases, it can be pretty low. For example, trans-fat is 78 percent, preservatives are 71 percent, GMO’s are 58 percent, and sodium is 57 percent. People buy these foods that are supposed to be free from all kinds of stuff because they want the more natural, but in many cases, they are paying more and getting nothing in return.
Do ‘Free-From’ Foods fall under the ‘Clean Label’ Category?
Some do. Clean label food products are those that contain familiar, simple, and natural ingredients that are not difficult to recognize and pronounce. The definition is different from free-from foods but you will see a lot of overlap between the categories. This is because consumers with highly specific eating preferences and needs are more attuned to what goes into their food in general.
Free-from foods are distinguished by their specific labels. Just as the free-from label is important to the consumer, it’s also a powerful marketing tool. After all, if you’re going for an extremely niche demographic, you want to make every effort possible to show you’re going that extra mile.
Fortress Nutrition LLC
We’re pioneers in food trends, and we’re ready for any changes that come our way. Fortress Nutrition LLC has a solid history of meeting strict specifications for our customers based on consumer preference, restrictive diets and much more.
Rest assured that you’re in good hands with Fortress Nutrition. To learn more about how we tailor our blending, ingredient sourcing, logistics, consumer packaging, and other services to meet customer needs, and to find out how we can partner with you to ensure compliance with new GMO laws, contact us today.