Program

Originally Published: February 4, 2000
Last Updated: September 18, 2023
2022 Clean Label Conference-in-person

Clean label foods and beverages are mainstream. However, developing and reformulating them remains a challenge since what is desired by consumers constantly evolves. The 2023 Clean Label Conference was held May 24-25 at the Westin Hotel, Itasca, Ill. This product development event focused on providing practical, how-to formulation and other actionable advice to R&D and applied product development specialists. Sweetener-relevant presentations offered in alliance with Global Food Forums’ Sweetener Systems Website are marked with a purple asterisk. Purple Asterisk   Sweetener Systems Online

Some presenters allow public access to the PDFs of their presentations. Registered attendees can access others through a password. A statement after each presentation title details what is required. Also, scroll to the bottom for Technology Snapshot presentations.

NOTE: A post-conference magazine of summaries with a few key points from each presentation will be publically available toward the end of the summer of 2023. If you’re interested in advertising in this issue, contact Peter Havens at Peter@globalfoodforums.com or 630-621-0230. Click here to download publications from our other past events.

 

Stephanie Mattucci

Stephanie Mattucci

CFS, Director, Food Science, Mintel

Clean Label: What Matters to Consumers? 
Click on this title to download the presentation PDF.

While the definition of clean label has evolved, at its core, it has always been about health and safety. Clean label products must adapt to address new concerns, especially in the wake of the concurrent repercussions of climate change and the COVID-19 pandemic. The next generation of successful clean label products will be those that understand the convergence of health and sustainability trends. “Better-for-us” will be the new “better-for-you” as people consider the effects of what they eat on themselves and the world around them.

Lauren Swann

Lauren Swann

MSc, RD, LDN, CEO and President, Concept Nutrition, Inc.

The Latest on Labeling Claims from “Healthy” to Eco-Friendly
Click on this title to download the presentation PDF.

Healthy consciousness continues to influence product messaging in diverse ways. This presentation will review the status of the U.S. Food & Drug Administration’s proposed “Healthy” claim revision and any progress with its voluntary Healthy Symbol initiative, especially regarding Front-of-Pack Nutrient Callouts. The complexity and specifics of Eco-Conscious descriptions, including 3rd-party certifications, will be used to demonstrate how sustainability trends are driving voluntary product declarations. Insights will be offered into how regulations may impact the increased use of QR codes for supply chain transparency. Lastly, an examination will be made on how regulations are shaping up to meet consumers’ desire for easily accessible product information that is currently required on the front panel of products in retail stores but is often missing for online merchandise.

Alex Woo, Ph.D.

Alex Woo, Ph.D.

CEO and Founder, W2O Food Innovation

Clean Label Bitterness Blockers: Neuroscience, Ingredient Technologies, Applications  Purple Asterisk

[NOTE: This presentation is only available to registered conference attendees. To access, click on the above presentation title and enter the password provided by Jenny@GlobalFoodForums.com on June 2, 2023.]

Roughly 100 food substances, including peptides, phenolics and high-potency sweeteners are known to be bitter to humans. “Bitterness blockers” is an ingredient technology space based on contemporary bitterness neuroscience. Mechanisms of action include TAS2R active site blocking, negative allosteric modulation, and calcium blocking in the bitter taste cells. Making better-for-you foods and beverages taste less bitter is possible with a short list of plant-based bitterness blockers, all of them labeled as natural flavor, including naringenin, sugar cane distillate, mushroom mycelia extract, and 1,3- propanediol. This presentation is indispensable for anyone formulating healthful foods and beverages with beneficial but often bitter-tasting ingredients.

Jaime Reeves, Ph.D.

Jaime Reeves, Ph.D.

Executive Vice President, Product Development & Commercialization, Mattson

Formulation Strategies & Solutions for Ingredient Cost Increases & Disrupted Supply Chains

[NOTE: This presentation is only available to registered conference attendees. To access, click on the above presentation title and enter the password provided by Jenny@GlobalFoodForums.com on June 2, 2023.]

Global events have caused disruptions in ingredient supply chains, shortages, and increased prices. Meanwhile, more than ever, consumers demand great-tasting products with clean, pantry-friendly ingredients. In a series of case studies (to be disclosed shortly), Mattson will discuss how its product development teams applied creative solutions to meet its clients’ target cost of goods, discovered workarounds for ingredient shortages, and delivered great tasting, longer shelf-life clean label products. If your company is working on reformulating due to supply chain disruption, increased cost-of-goods, or a cleaner ingredient statement, this product development-focused session is a must.

 

Jeff Casper

Jeff Casper

MSc, Partner, Voyageur Foodworks

Strategic Use of Food Structures for Superior Plant-based Formulations & Cleaner Labels
[NOTE: This presentation is only available to registered conference attendees. To access, click on the above presentation title and enter the password provided by Jenny@GlobalFoodForums.com on June 2, 2023.]

The appearance, texture, flavor, and nutritive properties of a food are greatly influenced by its structure. Current plant-based analogs rely on deconstructed plant tissues that are modified and combined with other ingredients in an attempt to create dairy and meat-mimicking structures and sensory profiles. Through formulation case studies comparing current vs. alternative paths to achieve specific structures, this presentation will provide insights into how developing a structure-based formulation strategy may lead to better formulation decisions and outcomes. Additionally, it will touch on how progress in plant breeding will help reduce cost, save energy and shorten ingredient declarations.

David Plank

David Plank

Managing Principal, WRSS Food & Nutrition Insights / Senior Research Fellow, Dept. of Food Science and Nutrition, University of Minnesota

Ethical Analyses and Labeling for Protein Claims 
Click on this title to download the presentation PDF.

To make a protein content claim on a food, it is required by law to label the percent of quality protein. Measuring quality protein requires the determination of protein digestibility in rats that are sacrificed. This is the only FDA regulation requiring animal testing for a food product label. Compliance with the law creates a dilemma for food manufacturers desiring a clean label concerning ethical animal treatment. We will present the financial risks of not complying with the existing regulations and a new method that accurately determines rat digestibility without using animals.

 

 

 

Shelley Balanko, Ph.D.

Shelley Balanko, Ph.D.

Senior Vice President, The Hartman Group

Food and Technology 2023: Consumer Trends and Tensions

[NOTE: This presentation is only available to registered conference attendees. To access, click on the above presentation title and enter the password provided by Jenny@GlobalFoodForums.com on June 2, 2023.]

While consumers have accepted, even embraced, many scientific and technological innovations in their food lives, they remain most guarded regarding what they put in their bodies. A mounting sense of urgency around the challenges facing the food system is helping to soften consumer resistance to science and technology in food. Consumers evaluate novel food production methods through interrelated, overlapping criteria that reflect deep-seated concerns about the impacts of science and technology on (and in) food. How these tensions play out at the shelf will ultimately depend on how these production methods are embodied in real-world products and categories. This presentation will deep dive into consumer awareness of novel food production technologies, their concerns, and the likelihood of trial. Key themes for successful communication with consumers to facilitate the adoption of new food technologies will conclude the discussion.

Jonathan Deutsch, Ph.D., CHE, CRC,

Jonathan Deutsch, Ph.D., CHE, CRC,

Prof. & Dir., Food Entrepreneurship and Innovation Programs, Dept. of Food and Hospitality Management, Drexel University ALSO VP, Upcycled Food Foundation Board

Upcycled Ingredients and Food Products: Challenges and Opportunities for Product Developers
Click on this title to download the presentation PDF. Note: Due to the size of the file, embedded videos were removed.

Food loss and waste are the largest preventable contributor to greenhouse gas emissions. According to the Upcycled Food Association, “Over 30% of all food produced globally is lost or goes to waste. Upcycled food prevents this problem by creating new, high-quality products from surplus food.” Consumer acceptance of upcycled foods is key to the successful and transparent marketing of these food products. For decades, the food industry has been concerned about needing to discount or apologize for upcycling food that would otherwise be wasted. Working with colleagues from marketing and biomedical engineering, as well as the Upcycled Food Association, the Drexel Food Lab has conducted a suite of research on consumer attitudes to upcycled foods that can guide food manufacturers and marketers. This talk will provide a high-level overview of the successes, challenges and consumer acceptance of upcycled food.

Michelle Tittl, ACAP, BS

Michelle Tittl, ACAP, BS

Product Development Manager, CuliNEX

Practical Insights to Formulating with Supply Challenges
[NOTE: This presentation is only available to registered conference attendees. To access, click on the above presentation title and enter the password provided by Jenny@GlobalFoodForums.com on June 2, 2023.]

Food formulation relies on a look at future ingredient and material availability. With supply shortages, crop disruptions, and demand imbalance, the pressure on food developers and a procurement team to find solutions is unending, especially with clean label formulation guardrails. Michelle Tittl, Product Development Manager at CuliNEX, will review clients’ practical challenges and recommend strategies and solutions for ingredient reduction, replacement, and reformulation that she and her team use. Examples to be presented include implementing temporary solutions, alternative ingredient blends, cost reduction, process strategies, and reduction vs. replacement strategies.

Lucile Jarry

Lucile Jarry

R&D Manager - Food Brands, Hain Celestial Group

A Holistic Formulation Approach to Clean Label Products
Click on this title to download the presentation PDF.

A clean label food or beverage can open the doors to incremental distribution, differentiate your products in a crowded space, and command a higher price point for improved margins. However, formulators are challenged with other success criteria when designing or redesigning a product. Clean label solutions must accommodate competing factors such as sensory, shelf life, certifications, cost of goods and site capabilities, which create very specific opportunities. Through several case studies from the worlds of bakery, nut butters and baby food, this session will outline a holistic approach to formulating successful clean label products.

Richard Mattes, Ph.D.

Richard Mattes, Ph.D.

Distinguished Professor of Nutrition Science at Purdue University, Affiliated Scientist at the Monell Chemical Senses Center

Low Calorie Sweeteners’ Impact on Blood Glucose, Hunger, Weight & the Microbiome  Purple Asterisk

[NOTE: This presentation is only available to registered conference attendees. To access, click on the above presentation title and enter the password provided by Jenny@GlobalFoodForums.com on June 2, 2023.]

Abstract: The most recent review by the 2020 Dietary Guidelines Advisory Committee concluded that low-calorie sweeteners (LCS) might be an effective approach to manage body weight. However, the NOVA system, which is gaining traction in dietary guidance globally, categorizes any food containing an LCS as ultra-processed and should therefore be avoided. Thus, the evidence on LCS needs to be critically reviewed to determine their role in the diet. This presentation will review the evidence on the effects of LCS on blood glucose concentrations, appetite, food intake, body weight and the microbiome. One point to be questioned is whether it is appropriate to view all LCS as a single class or to evaluate them individually. Preliminary evidence supporting the latter view will be presented.

 

Zal Taleyarkhan

Zal Taleyarkhan

Corporate Research Chef, Charlie Baggs Culinary Innovations (CBCI)

Jenn Farrell

Jenn Farrell

Director of R&D, Charlie Baggs Culinary Innovations (CBCI)

No Sugar Coating—A Practical Approach to Delivering Sweet Flavor Without Calories  Purple Asterisk
Click on this title to download the presentation PDF.

Co-Presenters: Zal Taleyarkhan and Jenn Farrell

 

Blending culinary and food science techniques, our two speakers will discuss different approaches to reducing or replacing sugar in formulations with nonnutritive sweeteners, naturally occurring sugars, fibers, and flavor enhancers through the lens of a product developer. Focusing on formulation creation and ingredient identification, they will dive into the importance of flavor building and formula modification from a culinary and gold-standard perspective. Also, learn to go beyond the usual adjustments to match texture, mouthfeel, and taste. Finally, they will examine the scale-up and commercialization of formulas to maintain optimal flavor delivery in end products.

 

 

Walter Brandl

Walter Brandl

Regional Director of Chemistry - North America, Mérieux NutriSciences

Bill Adams, MBA

Bill Adams, MBA

Product Manager, Mérieux NutriSciences - North America

Heavy Metals – Closer to Reality

[NOTE: This presentation is only available to registered conference attendees. To access, click on the above presentation title and enter the password provided by Jenny@GlobalFoodForums.com on June 2, 2023.]

 Co-Presenters: Walter Brandl and Bill Adams

The Food and Drug Administration’s new Closer to Zero initiative focuses on the exposure of heavy metal contaminants in commonly eaten foods by infants and children. Due to new forthcoming regulations, it is important for manufacturers to know the challenges and practical implications of this initiative from a technical, regulatory, and reality-based perspective. This discussion will cover the appropriate methods and instrumentation for heavy metal analysis, the new regulations and the limits of detection that manufacturers will be required to meet, and the typical expected levels of metal contaminants commonly found in various food types.

 

Kasey Farrell

Kasey Farrell

Senior Manager of the Product Intelligence R&D, SPINS

Clean Label Trends & Consumer Purchase Behavior
[NOTE: This presentation  is a redacted version.]

Clean label trends and new product formulations continue to evolve to meet the needs of the value-driven consumer. Today’s customer is more knowledgeable and interested in understanding the product content they choose to purchase and also the brands they support. Beyond easily recognizable ingredients and free from claims, brands are increasingly paying attention to their ingredient sourcing, their organization’s mission, and environmental impact during production and distribution. New certifications and novel and more sustainable ingredients are driving innovation in this new concept of clean.

TECHNOLOGY SNAPSHOT PRESENTATIONS

The Clean Label Conference Technology Snapshots breakout sessions were 15-minute ingredient supplier presentations on the technical benefits of their new “clean label” ingredient. They provide R&D with useful technical information. All 24 presentations are chosen by an independent Advisory Panel with experience in product development and degrees in Food Science or Biochemistry. For more information on how these are chosen, start with an overview.

As of May 31st, if an ingredient has not yet been linked to its Technical Snapshot presentation, either the vendor has chosen not to provide access or its status has not yet been determined. Please check back for updates.

AgriFiber MFCL Multi-Functional Corn Fiber (pre-gelled) is an alternative to Soluble Fiber that provides body and texture while allowing for a desired viscosity to be achieved. This ingredient allows texture from milk to Flan to plant-based sausage. [Attendees, please type in the password when needed.]

 AgriFiber – Soluble Fibers SFC and SFO are prebiotic, clinically proven USA made, fibers. They provide functionality (smooth texture and enhanced bar shelf-life), impact satiety and glucose control, with no bloating or gas formation at 25 grams consumption. [Attendees, please type in the password when needed.]

 Almendra Americas, LLC System G Taste Modulators enable the formulation of non-caloric sweeteners to substantially replicate the taste of sugar in beverages, baked goods and ice cream products. They are being manufactured to permit natural flavor labeling. 

 Apparo, Inc.  Solistein 001 Sunflower Protein provides 2-5 times the sweetness of sucrose and is a soluble, clear solution and nutritious protein source. It’s non-GMO, gluten-free, Upcycle Certified, and produced with a proprietary natural extraction process using water, salt and filtration techniques. 

 Avebe Etenia™ ES is a unique clean label multifunctional potato starch, easy dispersible and soluble hydrocolloid alternative that replaces milk protein/fat, modified starches and hydrocolloids. {Click the company name for the PDF.}

 Axiom Foods, Inc Vegotein™ CLEAR Pea Protein is over 80% peptide content with high clarity, high solubility, low molecular weight, neutral taste, plus high absorbability and bioavailability. It’s stable in low PH beverages. {Click the company name for the PDF.}

 Axiom Foods, Inc Oryzatein® CLEAR Rice Protein is over 80% peptide content with high clarity, high solubility, low molecular weight, neutral taste, and high absorbability and bioavailability. It’s stable in low PH beverages. {Click the company name for the PDF.}

 California Natural Color This company’s unique Pure Brown Carrot offers a clean label solution for caramel color replacement for food, beverage, and nutraceutical industries. {Click the company name for the PDF.}

 Ciranda, Inc. Tapioca Syrup RS 18 is a nutritive sweetener with exceptional binding and film-forming properties. Due to its composition, it has sweetness similar to a DE40 tapioca syrup but with 38% fewer sugars. Non-GMO and Kosher. {Click the company name for the PDF.}

 Ciranda, Inc. Organic Agave Syrup AL40 is produced using an organic-approved enzyme that converts 40% of the fructose to allulose epimers. Used to reduce calories and total added sugars. Certified organic, Non-GMO Project Verified and Kosher. {Click the company name for the PDF.}

 Corbion  Produced via a proprietary fermentation process and labeled as ‘natural flavor,’ PuraQ Arome 200 can enhance umami and savory notes in various food applications, including dips, refrigerated, and plant-based foods. 

 EverGrain® by AB Inbev  EverPro® Upcycled Barley Protein is the first of its kind, demonstrating market-leading solubility, low viscosity and a taste in protein beverages that’s preferred 10-to-1 by consumers. Dive into the functionality of barley protein and see how it compares to other commercially available proteins. {Click the company name for the PDF. Attendees, please type in the password when needed.}

 Glanbia Nutritionals UltraHi Protein is Glanbia’s newest technology for fermented products to be able to achieve up to 25% protein in spreadable, spoonable, and drinkable yogurt applications in refrigerated and ambient formats without jeopardizing flavor or label. {Click the company name for the PDF. Attendees, please type in the password when needed.}

 Ingredion Incorporated FIBERTEX™ CF 102 502 Citrus Fibers are fruit-based texturizers derived from citrus peel with a consumer-preferred clean label. They deliver unique functionality in bakery and savory applications, enabling cost savings opportunities without compromising on texture consumers love. {Click the company name for the PDF.}

 InnovoPro CP-Pro 70 chickpea protein concentrate enables the creation of tasty, nutritious, clean-label, and sustainable food and beverage products that offer an excellent nutritious profile, “free-from” properties, and wide usability in the food industry. 

 Kerry DuraFresh UC Plus is a unique, patented blend of organic acids and peptides that can improve product quality through clean label inhibition of pathogens and spoilage in RTE poultry with more authentic taste, texture and aroma. {Click the company name for the PDF.}

 Kerry  Provian NDV is an effective sodium-free preservative that shows strong inhibition of Listeria monocytogenes and lactic acid bacteria helping to extend shelf life thereby meeting current food trends like sodium reduction and clean label. {Click the company name for the PDF.}

 Millbio A botanical extract from Rowan berry, X-TRA GUARD is the latest innovation formulated by the recently merged BioNaturals and Millbo companies. The quest for a natural solution to help freshness is over. {Click the company name for the PDF.}

 NEXIRA naltive locust bean gum is a new range of natural and efficient texturizers to create the perfect sensory experience. Expertise in sourcing / Swiss facility / Advanced functionalities for dairy and plant-based applications. {Click the company name for the PDF. Attendees, please type in the password when needed.}

 NuTek Natural Ingredients NuForm® Tamarind Seed Gum is an upcycled, highly functional, process-tolerant hydrocolloid with excellent water holding and emulsion properties for applications and also an alternative to other gums including locust bean, guar, and xanthan gum. 

 NuTek Natural Ingredients  NuSavor is a standalone, clean-label umami flavor solution that elevates savory flavors and eliminates the need to add MSG, I+G, HVPs, yeast extracts, and costly herbs and spices. 

 Oregon Fruit Products  Clean label Single Strength 100% Fruit Purees are excellent sugar substitutes, meeting the demand for reduced added sugars on consumer-packaged goods nutrition facts panels, allowing manufacturers to list only real fruit (“mangos”). {Click the company name for the PDF.}

 Osage Food Products SolvPro Plant Protein Systems offers customized blended plant protein systems. These systems are designed specifically to meet customers’ needs and deliver targeted functionality, nutrition (i.e. PDCAAS of 1.0), and labeling needs. {Click the company name for the PDF.}

 Sensient Flavors & Extracts –TrueBoost SensaSalt, a natural flavor based taste technology, was created to assist with sodium reduction desires or requirements across the entire series of applications from wet to dry with a proven reduction of 20-40%! {Click the company name for the PDF.}