In recent years, "clean label" has become a trendy term in the food industry, spurring innovations in food product development. While the concept of "clean label" is relatively new, without any legal definition, it has a high market appearance and industrial relevance. Consumer demands are leading food and beverage manufacturers toward removing synthetic additives (e.g., emulsifiers) and incorporating natural ingredients. Indeed, many big food companies have committed to eliminating artificial food additives from their products altogether. However, the substitution of chemical preservatives for natural ingredients without compromising food safety, convenience, and sensory quality is a challenge for food technologists.
The Age of Clean Label Foods offers a guide to this approach with a thorough exploration of "clean label" ingredients in foods and the development of these food products. All aspects of clean label foods are covered in this essential reference, including recent developments in "clean label ingredients," technologies for producing or enhancing the functionality of ingredients, the interaction of ingredients with emerging food processing technologies, legislative frameworks, and consumer attitudes. Particular emphasis is given to trendy topics in the clean label industry, such as products with reduced-fat or reduced salt content, modified starches, natural emulsifiers, antioxidants, flavorings and antimicrobials, and fermented foods, as well as active and intelligent packaging for clean label foods. Through this text, the authors hope to promote a better understanding from which food technologists and food microbiologists can operate in the "clean-label" arena, taking into consideration all the key aspects of food quality, sensory characteristics, and food safety.