Although sodium and sugars are integral components of a well-rounded diet that preserve food and enhance flavor, Smithfield Foods, Inc., says shifts in consumer expectations have inspired a concerted effort to reduce the use of these ingredients.
On Friday, the company announced health and wellness goals as part of its wide-ranging commitment to sustainability and continuous product improvement. By 2025, the company plans to reduce sodium and sugar by 10% and embrace clean labeling across its portfolio.
“At Smithfield, we are constantly innovating to meet the ever-changing needs of consumers who are increasingly seeking out foods with improved nutrition profiles and clean, transparent labeling,” Stewart Leeth, Chief Sustainability Officer for Smithfield Foods, said in a release. “We understand the importance of continually evolving our operational practices and sustainability program to support these ends.”
Smithfield says it regularly assesses the ingredients in its products to accommodate varied consumer diets, preferences and lifestyles. In order to reduce sodium and sugar by 10%, Smithfield says it will continue to innovate and adapt its formulas to preserve taste, safety and quality while reducing sodium and sugar content.
Because consumers want to know more about the foods they purchase, Smithfield is also committing to simplify labels with ingredients consumers “can understand and pronounce to make informed, health-minded choices.”
Smithfield says it will improve label transparency by reducing the complexity of product labels, shortening ingredient statements where appropriate and employing cleaner labeling across its products by 2025.
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