Woolworths Announces Removal of Artificial Additives From In-Store Baked Bread

Date:28 September 2012

Type:Nutrition & Health News

Source:Food Ingredients First

Sector:Bakery

“There are few things better in life than freshly baked bread and at Woolworths, we’ve made our fresh bread even better. Our customers have provided very clear feedback that they are concerned about additives in their food, so we have made our in-store baked bread free from these artificial additives,” said Alex Holt, Woolworths’ Head of Bakery.

- Woolworths removed 265 tonnes of salt from in-store bakery bread in 2011

- In 2012, Woolworths rolled out front-of-pack nutritional labelling across 100% of its own brand products that carry a nutrition information panel

- Woolworths voluntarily provides a full fat breakdown on nutrition information panels to include trans, polyunsaturated and monounsaturated fats, in addition to the total and saturated fats listings, which are compulsory labelling requirements.

- Woolworths is an active member of the Food & Health Dialogue, a joint government / industry / public health initiative, and continues to reformulate products targeting nutrients such as sodium and saturated fat.

95 per cent of Woolworths’ fresh baked products, or 9.6 million fresh baked products per month, will now be free from artificial colours, flavours, emulsifiers or preservatives.

My View:

If every other bakeries adopt this policy, what would be the fate of the food ingredients and additives manufacturers.

I am not saying that consumers shouldn't eat healthy food and stay safe, but the truth is that not all food additives poses health hazard as long as they are not abused by the end users. The beauty of craft in-store bakery is the use of artificial additives to enhance the presentation of craft baked products to attract consumers.

Considering the $32 million investment of Palsgaard in Malaysia recently to produce 20,000 metric tonnes of artificial emulsifiers and stabilizers annually.

Where do you think the food ingredient business is heading to - a boom or a doom ?

Please let's trash this out with creative and reasonable discussion.