The bare necessities

Clean label is a broad concept without a clear definition, but holistically, it’s about simplicity, clarity and transparency. In fact, some ingredient suppliers only offer organic, non-GMO and sustainably sourced ingredients.

Consumers are seeking products with less sugar, fewer preservatives and artificial ingredients and more natural products like fruits, vegetables and, of course, dairy products such as milk, yogurt, cottage cheese and cheese.

Allison Leibovich, marketing manager for dairy and dairy alternatives at Wayzata, Minn.-based Cargill, notes that since clean label isn’t a one-size-fits-all concept, consumers bring their own interpretation of what is label friendly.

“For some, it’s the number of ingredients on the package. For others, it’s what those ingredients are,” Leibovich explains. “One common misconception is that ‘clean label’ applies equally across all food and beverage categories. In reality, label expectations vary widely. A consumer may pay close attention to the ingredient list for an organic yogurt but be more flexible when choosing an indulgent ice cream.”

Dana Osborn, marketing manager at California Natural Color, Fresno, Calif., notes that as clean-label trends continue to evolve, trust and transparency, recognizable ingredients and minimal processing are at the forefront.

“Shoppers are looking for products that use natural ingredients or ingredients they understand, like fruit and vegetable colors or natural sweeteners,” Osborn explains. "Consumers also associate clean label with healthier product choices or sustainably and responsibly sourced ingredients and manufacturing practices.

“Altogether these trends are shaping the future of the food and beverage industry,” she adds. “Clean label is reflective of consumer and brand values.”

Market research also speaks to the growth of the clean and natural movement in dairy foods. In Chicago-based Mintel’s “Free from Added/Artificial Preservatives” Global New Product Database (GNPD) from 2022 – 2024, this claim increased nearly 3.5% globally in the dairy category. Ethical claims increased 13% in GNPD dairy products launched globally.

Plant-based ingredients gain traction

Cynthia Morphet, QA certifications and customer support manager at Global Organics, suggests that plant ingredients are becoming an important part of clean-label formulations, offering nutrient-rich and natural alternatives.

“More than one in three consumers are willing to opt for new ingredients for a more natural product,” Morphet says. “Consumers want to see more plant-based options on the shelf, including milk and cheese alternatives, everyday sauces and ready meals to more indulgent chocolate and desserts.”

The Cambridge, Mass., company offers Regenerative Organic Certified cane sugar, as well as trending fruit ingredients like strawberry puree and grape juice concentrate that are ideal in drinkable yogurts and smoothies. Organic inclusions, like their organic caramel flakes, also are gaining traction.

Plant-based dairy alternatives typically have a more complex ingredient list, but there are other ways brands can appeal to label-conscious consumers, Cargill’s Leibovich states. “For some shoppers, organic and non-GMO certifications serve as their label-friendly cue,” she says.

While other brands work to streamline formulations with more familiar ingredients and fewer additives, the key is to “delight consumers with products that taste great and align with their label expectations,” she adds.

Chicago-based Glanbia Nutritionals’ Max Maxwell, who serves as market intelligence manager, says whey proteins not only contain consumer-desired protein, but are among the cleanest ingredient sources since they’re made via a filtration process.

“This concentrates the protein from milk while upcycling the other nutrient components like lactose, milk minerals and dairy bioactive fractions that supply nutrients across sectors and segments,” Maxwell notes.

In addition to being a clean, naturally occurring ingredient source, whey protein is nutrient dense, achieving a PDCAAS (Protein Digestibility-Corrected Amino Acid Score) score of 1.0. That score indicates a complete protein source, plus whey protein contains all nine essential amino acids.

“Glanbia Nutritionals’ TruCal, the milk minerals that we capture in this process, also provides a clean label, a holistic mineral source that optimizes calcium bioavailability and includes trace minerals like magnesium and potassium,” Maxwell says.

FDA’s food safety regulations

The United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has been busy with updates to existing rules designed to keep consumers safe. These include “healthy” food labeling, scheduled to go into effect on Feb. 25, 2028; a proposed front-of-package nutrition labeling scheme to be unveiled July 15, 2025; and while it had been scrutinized for many years, Red Dye No. 3 will no longer receive certifications as of Jan. 15, 2027, solidifying the push away from artificial colors.

The plan is to phase out the use of all petroleum-based food dyes and other additives, including various preservatives, also are being reviewed.

GNT USA Technical Marketing Manager Alice Lee suggests these hot-button topics are just the beginning of major changes.

In April, the FDA and Department of Health and Human Services signaled their intent to remove all FD&C synthetic dyes from the food system, whether through voluntary reformulation or other regulatory pathways, Lee states.

“While details on nationwide enforcement remain uncertain, the direction of travel is clear,” Lee says. “Several states — including California — are moving ahead with their own legislation, such as banning certain artificial dyes in foods served in schools. These developments are prompting a significant uptick in reformulation efforts, with many brands looking to future-proof their portfolios by replacing synthetic colors with plant-based alternatives.”

Innovation in label-friendly ingredients

As consumers avoid artificial ingredients and artificial sweeteners, ingredient suppliers are giving brands label-friendly ingredients.

Founded in 1983 in Windsor, Conn., OSF Flavors support clean-label and health-conscious innovation by offering a broad portfolio of natural and organic certified flavors, according to Olivier de Botton, founder and CEO.

“Our flavors are either USDA or EU organic certified, ensuring the ability for our clients to cover all national and international regulations,” he states. “In addition, OSF organic flavors are developed using non-GMO, allergen-free, and vegan-friendly components, allowing a seamless integration into clean-label formulations across categories like beverages, dairy, bakery and nutrition.”

Global Organics manufactures a range of organic products, including sugars, sweeteners, fruit and vegetable specialties, coconut products, caramels, coffee, vanilla and chocolate.

“Some that work especially well for clean label, health-conscious formulations include coconut milk, coconut cream, fruit juices, juice concentrates, purees (as coloring agents), and alternative sweeteners like agave and rice syrup,” Morphet says.

Since many consumers eat with their eyes, colors in foods and beverages matter. California Natural Color provides high-strength natural color solutions derived from fruits, vegetables and other plant-based sources for the food, beverage and nutraceutical industries.

Osborn points out that the company’s proprietary crystal delivery format provides exceptionally high color concentration, five to 10 times greater than liquid food colors. The crystals also are water soluble, do not require refrigeration and are shelf stable for up to five years at ambient temperatures.

Under its EXBERRY portfolio, GNT offers a full rainbow of colors made from non-GMO fruits, vegetables and plants. These plant-based concentrates support simple label declarations like “fruit and vegetable juice for color” or “turmeric (color),” making them ideal for health-conscious and clean-label dairy products, Lee says.

When working with plant-based colors, Lee recommends that formulators consider technical factors like pH, heat and light stability.

“The good news is that across a wide range of dairy applications — from chilled yogurts to frozen novelties — the full color spectrum is achievable,” Lee notes. “Certain challenges remain, such as achieving a stable strawberry pink in high-pH, ambient-shelf-life dairy beverages, but the possibilities with plant-based colors are always expanding.”

Likewise, Cargill continues to expand its portfolio of label-friendly ingredients. These include: SimPure, a soluble rice flour and clean-label alternative to maltodextrin; SimPure native starches which work well in yogurts because the clean-label ingredient has cold-storage tolerance and provides shelf-life stability; and pectin, made from apple pomace and citrus peels, also has strong label appeal since it’s familiar and renewable.

Names on the label can resonate positively or negatively. “…Ingredient names that reflect a ‘natural’ origin resonate with consumers. For example, ‘sea salt’ and ‘pink Himalayan salt’ are perceived more favorably than simply ‘salt,’ while ‘cane sugar’ scores better than the generic ‘sugar,’” Leibovich says.

As brands streamline formulations with more familiar ingredients and fewer additives, they must continue to delight consumers with functional and nutritional value with products that taste great and align with brands’ and consumers’ label expectations.

“The demand for clean and natural products is only growing, driven by consumers who want transparency, trust, and products that align with their personal values,” GNT’s Lee states. “That includes everything from short ingredient lists to sustainability and, increasingly, visual storytelling.”

California Natural Color’s Osborn suggests the regulatory momentum is accelerating the shift, prompting brands to quickly reformulate with natural alternatives.

She concludes: “Technology and innovation will continue to improve the stability and performance of natural colors and ingredients, leading to greater accessibility of clean-label products across each category.” DF