Panera Bread recently made headlines for its commitment to remove artificial ingredients from a number of its menu items this year, and it’s following through with that pledge, kicking off the year with a big victory.
According to the company, its soup menu is now “clean” after removing ingredients it says were on what it calls the “No No List.” Pulling items from that list means Panera’s soups are now free of artificial flavors, preservatives, colors, and flavors.
“For example, Broccoli Cheddar Soup will no longer contain additives like hydrolyzed soy and corn protein and sodium phosphate, ingredients which are approved by the Food and Drug Administration, which you’ll find in many soup recipes from companies like Campbell’s and Progresso,” reports Consumerist.
“Other ingredients that have been ditched include maltodextrin and sodium phosphate.”
Panera notes that the (artificial) ingredients weren’t necessarily proven to be unhealthy, but also weren’t necessary for the recipes. And with consumers now demanding cleaner food products, it was the perfect time to reformulate. But it wasn’t easy-the chain says some recipes were revised dozens of times before being finalized.
“I want to create soups that our guests will love” said Dan Kish, Panera Bread’s Head Chef, in the company’s press release. “And equally important, I want them to understand and feel confident in the ingredients that go into those soups. We’ve long been advocates of transparency – providing full ingredient information online – and with these new recipes we have even more to be proud of today.”
“Time and again, we’ve found that when you replace artificial additives with simpler ingredients, you achieve a better taste,” said Kish.
Read more about artificial ingredients
Image via www.panerabread.com
