Beware of the plastic wrapped cheese.


FROM: NEW

NEW YORK — Kraft is removing artificial preservatives from its most
popular individually wrapped cheese slices, in the latest sign that
companies are tweaking recipes as food labels come under greater
scrutiny.

The change affects the company’s Kraft Singles in the full-fat
American and White American varieties, which Kraft said account for
the majority of the brand’s sales. Sorbic acid is being replaced by
natamycin, which Kraft said is a “natural mold inhibitor.”

Kraft’s decision comes as a growing number of Americans pay closer
attention to what they eat and try to stick to foods they feel are
natural. That has prompted a number of food makers to change their
recipes.

Last week, for instance, Subway said it was removing a chemical from
its bread after a popular food blogger named Vani Hari started a
petition noting the ingredient is also used in yoga mats.

The ingredient, azodicarbonamide, is an approved food additive and can
be found in a wide variety of products, including those sold by
McDonald’s and Starbucks. But Ms. Hari said she targeted Subway
because of its healthy food image.

Even though such ingredients are approved for use by the Food and Drug
Administration, being able to tout a product as being free of them can
be a selling point. Kraft, for example, plans to begin airing TV ads
near the end of February touting that its Kraft Singles cheese “begins
with milk” and are now “made with no artificial preservatives.”

The ads show cartoon cows grazing in a pasture, with a milk truck
driving past.

The new Kraft packages, which began appearing on supermarket shelves
in recent weeks, also come stamped with a red circle noting they have
no artificial preservatives or flavors. Kraft said its cheese slices
haven’t used artificial flavors for many years, but that it just
recently decided to advertise that aspect of the product.

“Consumers are looking for those less artificial cues and messages,”
said Gavin Schmidt, manager of cheese research and development at
Kraft. “Those messages are more meaningful to consumers than they have
been in the past.”

Mr. Schmidt said the move away from artificial preservatives took
about five years to perfect because Kraft wanted to ensure the
product’s taste and shelf life remained the same. He declined to
provide details, but said it wasn’t as simple as swapping out an
artificial preservative and replacing it with a natural one.

“There’s a little more to it than that,” he said.

Mr. Schmidt said Kraft is testing the removal of artificial
preservatives from its other Kraft Singles varieties, but that it
wanted to start with the most popular lines first. The changes do not
affect Kraft Singles that are 2 percent milk, fat-free, or other
full-fat varieties.

Kraft Foods Group Inc. of Northfield, Ill., also makes brands
including Oscar Mayer, Jell-O, Planters, and Maxwell House.

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