For some time we have been hearing of the consumer desire for clean labels, fewer ingredients, and so-called "Natural" ingredients. Is this something that sounds like a good intention but has no scientific basis? A long list of ingredients on a label does not necessarily imply more compounds than one with a few ingredients. Indeed, if we had to list all chemical compounds found naturally in, say an apple, it would not appear to be a clean label. That raises a question: is this trend toward fewer and natural ingredients a problem or an opportunity? From the standpoint of an academic food scientist, this seems to be an opportunity to investigate the mechanisms producing safe, healthy, and good tasting food - much as a biologist would do to understand the most basic questions of the natural world. Let me explain.
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