Food Protection Trends - May/June 2021 - 310

suggested that the juice should be labeled " tastes more like
fresh. " Another said that " as good as pasteurized " should be
added to the label.
Responses to labeling
Participants were divided regarding labeling practices.
A minority believed that DMDC labeling was unnecessary
because the chemical was no longer present and the FDA had
ruled it safe. Moreover, the term could frighten consumers
away from purchasing a healthy product. Statements capturing
this attitude include the following:
I'm sure there are a lot of products that we're eating and drinking,
and we have no idea what's in them. [Some products] are not labeled,
and we still eat and drink them. So, it doesn't bother me.
I recommend not to say anything. I think it just makes the public
crazy, and it's just one more thing for them to have to research.
If it's FDA approved, then boom, it's done. I don't see a problem
with that as a consumer.
The majority of participants believed strongly, however,
that the consumer should be informed about how their food
was processed. As a result of our discussion, they recognized
that the words " contains DMDC " would be misleading
because the chemical was no longer present; some suggested
including " processed with DMDC to maintain quality and
safety. " Participants noted that those concerned about food
safety could then google DMDC to find out more about the
chemical. Representative comments include the following:
It's my right to know what it's been processed with. You don't have to
care, and you don't have to know, and that's your right if you want to
pass that up, but I don't want to pass that up, and I do want to know.

I don't think they should have a long explanation, just like they
don't have a long explanation for " pasteurized. " If you want to know
what that is, you're going to have to look it up. But I think they should
identify that that's in there-or that has been used.
I think they should put it on because, you know, she (another
participant) wants to know.
The water bottle says: " purified water enhanced with minerals for
a pure, fresh taste. " There's a way they could label it just like that.
One participant indicated that her child had a condition
she believed to be caused by what he ate. Because she
monitored her child's food consumption closely, she would
need to know how the juice was processed:
I just found out that my son has ADHD, and he got it because [of]
a lot of the things that he eats. And, if this is something that's going
to help-I mean, hurt or help the situation-I would rather know
what it is than to give it to him. So, I would want to know.
Participants said the failure to acknowledge DMDC use
would make the company appear to be hiding something
from the public. In their view, the failure to communicate
suggests a problem with the product:
If you have nothing to hide, put it out there. Tell me that that was
your process. So like you said, one, it lets us know that it has a better
nutrient level. Two, it tells you that it has a better taste level. Three,
it's protecting the label, the company, by doing the process.
One participant specifically sought out the juice that was
pasteurized. She said that, although she would not consider
fresh-squeezed juice a safe food choice, if she knew an
alternative to pasteurization had been employed, she would
consider selecting the juice. Identifying DMDC usage would
then increase her likelihood of purchasing the juice:

TABLE 3. Participants' mean rating score of label statements about using DMDC in
freshly squeezed orange juice, in a study of consumer preferences related to
labeling of processing aids in orange juicea
All participants N = 25
Web link
Quality and safety
Preserve fresh squeezed flavor
Maintain quality
Long-lasting quality
Friedman test P-value

1.32A
1.44A
1.84AB
1.96B
2.24B
P < 0.001

3-point scale: 1 = like, 2 = OK, 3 = don't like. Within each column, means with the same letter are not significantly different.

310

Food Protection Trends May/June

Food Protection Trends - May/June 2021

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Food Protection Trends - May/June 2021