Wednesday, July 15, 2015

Panera Know-No List — Part IV: Meet the Preservatives

From medieval salt preservation, to witch trials induced by ergot in moldy bread, to Twinkies that would reportedly survive a nuclear blast, food preservation has come a very long way.
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In May 2015, Panera published a list of ingredients that would be removed from their food. In the same month, other companies like General Mills and Nestle made similar announcements, and more will surely follow suit. The food industry is amidst a curious and wonderful revolution, but the saddest part about these announcements is the missed opportunity to celebrate the food science.

Announcing the removal ingredients from a product can attach an stigma to those ingredients, especially if the justification isn’t fully explored. James Cameron reportedly waited for cinema technology to advance before making Avatar, so why can’t food companies talk about how the swaps they’re promising weren’t technically feasible until now?

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In this post, we continue deconstructing Panera’s No No list. [For Part I, Overall Response, Part II, Sweeteners, and Part III, Color/Flavor Enhancers, see previous posts]. For each ingredient, you’ll find a brief explanation of its purpose, safety concerns if any, and whether a natural counterpart can perform as well or better. 

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