What Are Emulsifiers, and What Do They Do in Our Food?

If you have seen any 1970s-themed movie, or better yet grew up in the ’70s, you’ve seen them before: colorful, mesmerizing, some might even say soothing. We’re talking about lava lamps. Within these luminaries, the combinations of water and heated wax simply would not mix no matter how many times the psychedelic bubbles of wax floated to the top of the lamp and back down again. The reason? Oil and water do not naturally mix on their own. But what if something could help mix these traditionally repelling agents? Luckily, when it comes to food, that something exists, and our taste buds are forever thankful. Enter emulsifiers! What are emulsifiers? Emulsifiers are Food and Drug Administration–approved food additives that help products containing immiscible food ingredients, like oil and water, to combine. You can find emulsifiers in plenty of prepackaged and processed foods, including mayonnaise, margarine, meats, ice cream, salad dressings, chocolate, peanut butter and other nut butters, shelf-stable frostings, cookies, crackers, creamy sauces, breads, baked products and ice cream. Emulsifiers can be man-made or naturally occurring. Many emulsifiers used today are of a naturally derived variety called hydrocolloids. Hydrocolloids serve as thickening agents and support the structure, texture, flavor, and shelf life of various food products, and they are often referred to simply as gums because of the food texture and consistency they create. Hydrocolloids include emulsifiers made from plants, animals and aquatic sources. Plant-based hydrocolloids include locust bean gum, carrageenan, pectin, and starch, while animal-sourced varieties including chitosan made from crustacean shells. (Talk about reducing waste!) Hydrocolloids, like xanthan gum, can also come from microbial sources, and even food products themselves—mustard, oil, salt, egg yolk and vinegar—can serve as emulsifiers. Without emulsifiers like hydrocolloids, you could look forward to scooping into a layer of fat before getting to the […]

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What To Know About Preservatives in Food

While many of us strive to cook meals using fresh ingredients, busy schedules over the course of our week often lead to home-cooking burnout and the desire for delivery or takeout—sometimes before we’ve used all the food we bought on our weekly grocery run. One food-industry invention that can keep items in our fridge or pantry fresher for longer. Preservation. Preservatives help maintain the taste and nutrition of many food ingredients by extending the quality and safety of those foods beyond what they would be capable of on their own. Read on to discover more about food preservation and how preservatives are used in our food. So, what is food preservation? Food preservation is defined as any act or addition that inhibits undesired bacterial growth or chemical changes in a food. And while that might sound high-tech, many kinds of food preservation have been around for thousands of years. In fact, you likely practice food preservation daily without even knowing it. There are two categories of preservation: chemical and physical. When you wash raw produce or freeze your chicken, you are practicing physical preservation. Curing and pickling, in contrast, are examples of chemical preservation, because they use salt and vinegar (acetic acid) to alter foods to keep them edible (and delicious) for longer periods. Why are preservatives used in food? And what exactly are their benefits? Preservatives allow us to keep food safe for much longer. In addition to older forms of preservation that use salt and acid, other, more modern preservatives can offer benefits like inhibiting oil from going rancid or helping a food product retain its original color. One often-overlooked benefit of food preservatives is that they reduce food waste. According to estimates by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), food waste in the U.S. is “estimated […]

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As Harvest Season Meets Holiday Tables, New IFIC Research Reveals Americans Increasingly Want To Know Where Their Food Comes From 

(Washington, D.C.) — As harvest season wraps and Americans prepare for the holidays—a time when food takes center stage—a new report from the International Food Information Council (IFIC) finds that consumers are increasingly focused on knowing where their food comes from and how it is produced.   According to the survey, 2025 IFIC Food & Health Survey: A Focus On Food Production, 59% of Americans say it’s important to know where their food comes from, up from 51% in 2017. More than half also prioritize food that’s consistently available locally (54%).   “Food has always been personal, and this year’s findings show a growing desire for connection—among people, place, and production,” said Wendy Reinhardt Kapsak, MS, RDN, IFIC President & CEO. “As families gather this holiday season, they want to feel confident that what’s on their plates reflects not only their preferences, but also their values.”  Sustainability Matters Even As Perceptions Evolve  Six in ten Americans (59%) say it’s important that their food is produced in an environmentally sustainable way—an increase from 53% in 2021. And the way Americans define a sustainable diet has shifted, with more emphasis now placed on the environmental impact than personal implications such as nutrition, cost, and availability compared to 2015.   “Our survey results show that Americans increasingly view a sustainable diet through an environmental lens,” said Kris Sollid, RD, IFIC Senior Director of Research & Consumer Insights. “While taste and price are always top of mind, consumers are paying more attention to where food comes from, how it’s grown, and its impact on the environment.”  Americans Still Skeptical About Food Biotechnology   The 2025 survey revisited how Americans view biotechnology in food production, sometimes referred to as bioengineering or genetic modification (GMO). Two in ten Americans (20%) report a favorable impression of using biotechnology in food production, […]

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What To Do About Consumers’ Waning Confidence in the Safety of the Food Supply

The Struggle Is Real  With almost two decades of consumer insights stemming from the annual IFIC Food & Health Survey, I can’t stop thinking about consumers’ confidence (or lack thereof) in the safety of the food system. The chart below captures consumer responses from 2023 to 2012 when 78% of consumers said they were “somewhat/very confident in the safety of the U.S. food supply.” Fast forward to 2023, and we see that only 70% of consumers confess they are somewhat/very confident in the safety of the U.S. food supply. My biggest concern is that, in the past year, we have observed a significant drop in those that report they are very confident.       Building Back Confidence  Like many of my dedicated food safety colleagues, I am not ready to accept 70% confidence and ignore the 30% that are “unsure” (19%) or the 11% that are “not/not at all confident.” Confidence can be likened to the foundation of a building. It is strong and is built for the building to take shape and last for decades. Consumers who are confident in the safety of the food supply likely trust those who produce food, regulate food and sell food. Given my 28 years in food safety and risk communications, I think it’s fair to suggest that we all stop, take time to self-reflect and consider “what can I do to increase consumer confidence?”   The Work To Be Done  Included in this year’s IFIC Food & Health Survey, we wanted to glean insights regarding consumer confidence in the safety of the U.S. food supply. As a follow-up question about consumer confidence, we included “What would increase your confidence in the safety of the food supply?” Response options included a range of concepts including “food recalls” to “more information on the package.” […]

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Food Trends for 2023 Will Include Wellness Drinks, Gut Health, Plant-Based Food Innovations, Confusion Around New Labels and Terminology

(Washington, D.C.) — With issues like inflation, supply chain disruptions, technological advancements and changing consumer desires, the food system is experiencing a dizzying level of change and unpredictability. But despite that instability—or because of it—several food trends are emerging for 2023, according to the International Food Information Council (IFIC). Among them are healthful beverages, demands for probiotics and protein, a focus on food labels and a lens on diversity in food systems. Drinking Our Way to Wellness In 2023, wellness will continue to be top-of-mind for many consumers, but it will increasingly come in liquid form, driven in large part by consumers looking for added benefits like energy, mental health and gut health support. IFIC’s 2022 Food and Health Survey found that “more energy and less fatigue” were the most sought-after benefit from foods and beverages, with 37% of Americans saying so. You can expect to see options that cater to those wishes multiply, such as “alt caffeine” choices to old standbys like coffee and tea. Along with yerba mate, keep an eye out for more yaupon tea, a lower-caffeine alternative with a sweet flavor profile, which is derived from a species of holly native to the deep South. Mocktails and nonalcoholic cocktail options continue to take up more and more real estate on menus and grocery store shelves, and are especially popular among younger consumers. Perhaps a reaction to the early days of the pandemic (where alcoholic sales and consumption spiked), be prepared to see a growing wave of nonalcoholic options not just during Dry January and Sober October. While energy was the most sought-after food benefit for all adult population groups, according to the 2022 Food and Health Survey, “emotional/mental health” was among the top three sought out by Gen Z, with more members of the generation desiring […]

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The Benefits of Preservatives in Our Food

On Sunday mornings, you make your grocery list before heading to the store. It is easier to get your fill of fresh produce and healthier foods by performing this simple task. As the days pass, you make your meals. Almost inevitably though, by Thursday evening, you are exhausted, and it unsurprisingly becomes pizza or Chinese take-out night. Then, ingredients that should have been Thursday’s meal sit in the fridge or on the shelves until you find the vigor to cook again. Sound familiar? Luckily, preservatives help keep that food safe until you are ready to prepare your next meal. Preservatives help extend the quality and safety of food far beyond what is capable without their use. Let’s jump in and discover some basics of food preservation and how preservatives are used in food. So, what is food preservation? Food preservation is generally defined as any act or addition that inhibits undesired bacterial growth or chemical changes. You likely practice food preservation on a daily basis without even knowing it. There are two categories of preservation: chemical and physical. When you wash your raw produce or freeze your chicken, you are practicing physical preservation. Curing and pickling are examples of chemical preservation, using salt and vinegar (acetic acid) in these cases. Foods are often processed in a way that acts as a physical preservative to guarantee we have safe foods that last longer. Why are preservatives used in food? As mentioned in our Thursday evening dilemma, preservatives allow us to keep food safe much longer. Preservatives might inhibit oil from going rancid or could help a product retain its original color. All these benefits allow us to keep food safe and nutritious for far longer. This leads us into an often-overlooked benefit of food preservatives; they reduce food waste. According to […]

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Arsenic Fast Facts

Putting Arsenic In Food Into Perspective: What You Need To Know  The presence of heavy metals in food is not new. Arsenic, like most heavy metals, is naturally occurring and can be detected at trace levels in food. Heavy metals are found in soil, water, and air; they are not added to food. While arsenic may be detected in some plant-based foods, its presence remains extremely low. Still, overexposure to arsenic can cause adverse health effects.     The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is the lead U.S. Agency for protecting the public from overexposure to arsenic in food. Initiatives like FDA’s Closer To Zero program are actively working to reduce exposure to arsenic and other heavy metals for all ages.   To reduce exposure to arsenic and other heavy metals through food as well as promote good health and nutrition, consumers should continue to eat a variety of nutrient-dense foods across and within the main food groups of vegetables, fruits, grains, dairy, and proteins.   What Is Arsenic? Arsenic is a naturally occurring element found in soil, water, and air. It can also be released into the air by industrial processes, tobacco smoke, burning of fossil fuels, and volcanic eruptions.    Arsenic compounds fall into three categories:  How Are Consumers Exposed To Arsenic? The primary human exposure to arsenic is through ingestion of inorganic arsenic-contaminated drinking water. Inorganic arsenic can be naturally occurring in groundwater; in certain locations, it can also enter groundwater through industrial processes, such as mining, fracking, coal-fired power plants, arsenic-treated lumber, and arsenic-containing pesticides. Arsenic levels tend to be higher in groundwater sources, such as wells, than surface sources, such as lakes or reservoirs.   Exposure to arsenic through food is generally less frequent; it is in crops grown in soil or groundwater contaminated by arsenic. Foods with higher levels […]

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New IFIC Survey Reveals How Misunderstood Food Date Labels Are Likely Feeding America’s Trash Cans

(Washington, D.C.) — Millions of Americans rely on food date labels to make decisions about what is safe to eat—and what gets thrown out. But new research from the International Food Information Council (IFIC) reveals that these labels may be doing more harm than good when it comes to preventing food waste. The IFIC Spotlight Survey: Americans’ Perceptions Of Food Date Labeling, dives into how U.S. consumers interpret phrases like “Best by,” “Use by,” and “Best if used by.” Nearly half (48%) of respondents correctly believe these labels signal when a product begins to decline in quality. Another 29% see them as an indication of food safety risk, while 17% interpret them as the exact day the food should be discarded. “Consumers are trying to do the right thing when it comes to keeping themselves and their families safe,” said Wendy Reinhardt Kapsak, MS, RDN, IFIC President & CEO. “But when they cannot tell the difference between quality and safety, food that is perfectly fine to eat may end up in the trash. This confusion is not just a household inconvenience—it is a public health and sustainability issue.” More Than A Third Throw Food Away Without Checking It This confusion plays out in daily behavior. More than 1 in 3 Americans (36%) say they discard food without assessing it once the “Best if used by” date has passed. While 54% report evaluating the food first, the criteria they use remain inconsistent and unclear. Confidence in labels is also low. Only 29% of Americans said they have high confidence in the accuracy of food date labels, while the majority (52%) reported medium confidence, and 19% had low or no confidence at all. “Labeling should be helpful, easy to understand, not misleading,” said Tony Flood, IFIC Senior Director of Food & Ingredient […]

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