Consumers desire dairy products that sport a “clean” label — but clean means different things to different people. How can the dairy industry cope with this ambiguous consumer demand?
When science is oversimplified, the resulting messages are often misconstrued and misleading. So it is with food. Consumers have bought into the misguided message that foods are unfit for human consumption if they contain more than five ingredients, ingredients they can’t pronounce or ingredients their grandparents wouldn’t recognize.
Although what consumers want — and don’t want — in their food is based on perception (not necessarily reality), in order to thrive, the food industry must meet consumer demand. Reformulation may be required. This is challenging, but benefits can include an improved nutrient profile.