Sourcing Clean Label Ingredients

Clean Label Food Product Sales Continue to Rise

According to market research firm Euromonitor, global sales of clean label food products are forecast to reach $180 billion by 2020.  As clean label continues to gain momentum in the food industry, the demand for clean label ingredients will also increase significantly.


What does clean label mean to you?

Since there is no industry wide universal of the term “clean label”, clean label can mean different things to different people. Some people think that a product with no MSG is considered clean label. Others believe that a product has to be organic and non-gmo to be identified as clean label. Manufacturers who manufacture the same product lines define clean label products differently.


How do you know what you’re buying if there’s no standard?

Your customers and you are the ultimate source of defining the clean label requirements that you need for your projects. That means that it is up to you to define what you need in an ingredient when you are sourcing ingredients for your projects. Since clean label attributes can change from manufacturer to manufacturer, you need to be specific when discussing new product needs with sellers. Be aware that products comparisons will not necessarily be “apples to apples” if the basic attributes vary according to the clean label definition of individual manufacturers.


Check the Ingredient Statements

Always ask for an ingredient statement for any products that you are evaluating and especially if you are working with customer restrictions. If you don’t know what an ingredient is or how it impacts flavor or function, you should ask the seller before you buy. An ingredient statement will specifically state whether a formulation has MSG or is gluten free, for example. If you don’t see these specific exclusions stated and those are important to your project, ask for more information.


How Integrative Flavors Defines Clean Label

We define clean label as minimally processed products that contain no:

  • Monosodium Glutamate
  • Hydrolyzed Vegetable Protein
  • Autolyzed Yeast Extract
  • Partially Hydrogenated Vegetable Shortening
  • High Fructose Corn Syrup
  • Disodium Inosinate
  • Disodium Guanylate
  • Artificial Flavor
  • Artificial Color
  • Artificial Ingredients

Our requirements are specific because we work with many manufacturers who serve a diverse food service market. The integrity of their formulations is based on how well the ingredients match the intention of what they are trying to create for their customers. Our manufacturing partners depend on us help them meet their clean label production goals.

Learn more about our No No List and commitment to quality soup base manufacturing.



Explore our Cook’s Delight® Clean Label Soup Bases and Flavor Concentrates and learn how our soup bases can help you create better recipes and delight your customers.  Learn more about soup base

 


Our team at Integrative Flavors® is happy to work with you to define and select ingredients to match your projects’ needs. Please contact us to arrange a sales demonstration or to receive samples of our clean label food products that you can try in your test kitchen.

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