Unmasked!
How a Shift Toward Nutrition Transparency is Transforming Our Plates.
From Shelf Life to Health Impact
In the contemporary landscape, where dietary preferences are caught in a tug-of-war between the lure of convenience and an increasing focus on health, food processing has fundamentally transformed our eating habits.
Additives, emulsifiers, texturizers, preservatives: caught between an obsession with shelf-life and the drive to cut production costs, a majority of food products in France - 74% in conventional and 53% in organic - have fallen prey to ultra-processing. This race for efficiency has also led to a decline in nutrient quality: for instance, a study published in Scientific Reports revealed a 23% decrease in wheat protein content between 1955 and 2016. This trend extends to essential minerals like manganese, iron, zinc, and magnesium, whether in wheat or other foods. Compounding this hard-to-swallow reality is the widespread use of plastic packaging, which, beyond its environmental impact, is scientifically linked to the presence of endocrine disruptors, chemicals that can interfere with the body's hormonal balance.
The Quest for Nutritional Knowledge
In the intricate world of modern nutrition, there's a growing trend of consumers searching for clear guidance, as evidenced by the 39% increase in Google searches for “examples of processed foods” over the past year.
In France, navigating the nutritional landscape has become a complex task, even with tools like Nutri-Score and Yuka offering some guidance. However, these tools aren't without their flaws. Nutri-Score, for example, falls short by not considering the extent of food processing. The Nova classification addresses this gap but doesn't go much further. Amidst this complexity, the WHO also adds its subtle distinction by clarifying that not all ultra-processed foods are necessarily bad for health…
It seems that to get a truly comprehensive picture, one would need to amalgamate all these resources, and even then, there would be gaps. Critical information like the use of low-impact farming methods, the establishment of short supply chains, and the specifics of organic certification are often missing.
Furthermore, individual considerations such as allergies, intolerances, levels of physical activity, and even geographical location also play a crucial role in dietary needs. After all, the caloric requirements of someone living in the icy expanse of Antarctica vastly differ from those of a resident in sunny Bogota.
Nutri-AI Beyond Static Labels
This is where generative AI comes into play: instead of relying solely on static labels, these conversational agents enable a more dynamic, personalized, and nuanced interaction. I've actually developed such an agent, called ‘In cibo veritas’. ('Cibo' means 'food' in Latin, you get the gist, right? ;-) You can give it a shot here, as long as you have a ChatGPT premium account.
I configured In cibo veritas based on the following elements:
The process is simple: just send a picture of the food's ingredient label or the dish. Key Consideration: This minimum viable prototype (MVP) is currently being refined.
It shares some similarities with existing applications like Foodvisor, Bitesnap and Cronometer, which facilitate dietary tracking by allowing meal logging. However, my MVP introduces a conversational aspect, not found in its competitors. The issue? all these tools rely on a degree of manual input, which can be tedious. The real breakthrough might emerge in the post-smartphone era with AI-powered devices like AI Pin, which could seamlessly monitor and record our dietary habits.
Shifting Tides in Nutritional Policy
That said, the issue of "eating well" really begins much earlier in the food supply chain as evidenced by the example of Brazil, which recently banned ultra-processed products in schools in Niterói, while Colombia has just introduced a health tax on these foods and the United States is considering revising its dietary guidelines to include warnings against such products. This change could alter our daily consumption of products like nuggets, breakfast cereals, and even yogurts.
In a recent article by Les Echos, a leading French media outlet, Yves Legros, CEO of Yoplait, discussed a significant strategic shift: moving away from fruit yogurts towards plain varieties, particularly Skyr. This move mirrors a broader consumer trend towards favoring plain yogurts and adding personal toppings. “The trend is not towards over-sophistication but rather towards simplicity and naturalness, extending even to concerns about the milk's origin,” Legros explains.
In line with this trend, France’s retailers like Biocoop are distinguishing themselves by taking a firm stance against ultra-processing. The prevailing sentiment? Less is more, a mantra that's prominently featured in parisian subway ads for the “Cooking with Three Ingredients” cookbook campaign.
These policy shifts are also poised to significantly reshape the entire restaurant industry. In a recent interview with La Tribune, a prominent French news outlet, Olivia Grégoire, the Minister Delegate for Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises and Commerce, announced a pivotal change: by 2025, French restaurants must identify non-"homemade" items on their menus. This regulation aims to elevate homemade cooking to a new standard, potentially invigorating concepts like Label Ferme, known for its farm-to-street-food approach, and Berrie, which blends a casual eatery, local market, and fine grocery experience. Also notable is La Récolte, adhering to a stringent policy of only using certified organic, seasonal ingredients from local sources. There's a unique emphasis on transparency, as dishes made from store products are prepared on-site, in full view of the customers.
Emerging in the mid-90s in the United States, the "grocerant" concept – a blend of a grocery store and a restaurant – started with the simple idea of integrating a dining space within a grocery or supermarket. While this phenomenon has been observed for years in select spaces, the trend is now expanding beyond the premium segment. It's also becoming more experiential, incorporating pop-ups, cooking classes, and themed tastings.
This approach to better eating is also reflected in the rise of functional nutrition. A prime example is the New York-based chain Honeybrains, which has carved a niche in brain food. Here, every drink or dish on the menu is designed to optimize cognitive health. Also noteworthy is the emergence of concepts like the "gut-resort," aimed at boosting the microbiome, highlighting the growing trend towards functional specialization in the food sector.
The hidden costs of our food
Such qualitative changes could have a significant impact on the cost of food, posing a challenge for many households already grappling with financial difficulties, a situation sometimes symbolized by the security tags placed on certain food products.
Upon deeper reflection, it's evident that the current agri-food system is riddled with hidden costs. Ultra-processed foods, for instance, disrupt the communication between our gut and brain, leading us to overeat and subsequently spend more.
Moreover, our taxes are funding an agri-food system that is largely unsustainable, a system that indirectly strains our healthcare finances, especially when considering that many chronic diseases are directly linked to our diets. These paradoxical costs, which also extend to environmental and societal impacts, are significant. According to a recent study by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), the cumulative toll of these factors could be as high as $10 trillion annually.
In addition, medications like Ozempic are changing eating habits by reducing appetite, especially in obese individuals. In response, some restaurants are developing “Ozempic menus” while companies like Nestlé are creating new products to accompany these drugs, amid fears they’ll eat into food sales. These developments suggest a potential significant impact on food economics.
The complexity of this subject cannot be overstated. At its core, lies a pivotal question: Is the world prepared to directly factor all these third-party costs into food pricing beyond POC’s and other marketing stunts? It remains uncertain. In a market that adeptly hides its negative externalities, revealing the true cost of what we consume stands as a bold act of defiance. And yet, this shift is vital, especially given food consultant Mike Lee's reminder: "Food is the only product in the history of civilization to have 100% product adoption, so that means everyone on the planet is a stakeholder, not just people within the food and agriculture industry."
This evolving food landscape, driven by knowledge and individuals agency, is not just a change in diet but a transformation in our global food ethos. Every item on our plate carries a story of the resources, labor, environmental impact, and the nutrients it provides. This shift towards a more conscious and enlightened way of eating has the potential to transform not only our health but also the state of our planet. It's a revolution that unfolds with every bite we take.
MD
PS. Huge thanks to Daniel Skavén Ruben and Olivier Frey for reviewing a draft version of this article.