Clean food claims are becoming formal standards

Claims about processing, ingredients and production methods are moving beyond packaging and into regulation, third-party verification and retailer procurement. California, Edible Garden and Tesco show three different ways that “clean” credentials are being defined and enforced. Products increasingly need evidence that regulators, certifiers or retail buyers can inspect.

California Government has passed the first statewide law creating a voluntary certification for non-ultraprocessed food. Large grocery stores must give certified products prominent shelf space. The law connects a processing claim to both a formal standard and a retail requirement, making visibility part of how the category is supported.

Edible Garden has secured the first controlled-environment agriculture industry verification for its USDA Organic basil. The indoor-grown herb is shipping through Wakefern for distribution across participating ShopRite stores. The additional verification documents how and where the basil was grown, giving retailers and shoppers evidence behind the production claim.

Tesco has removed or restricted 114 additives from its private-label food products, including artificial colours, aspartame and MSG. The retailer is applying its own ingredient policy as a condition for producing its private-label range. Suppliers must review formulations and provide the information needed to meet Tesco’s procurement standards.