According to Reuters, the manufacturer of Nescafé and KitKat is proposing to allow “vitamin C” to be listed in ingredient labels instead of “ascorbic acid,” and “vitamin A” instead of “beta-carotene.” Nestlé believes that such wording will be easier for consumers to understand and more accurately reflect their common perception of the ingredients.
“Sometimes the way we’re forced to describe ingredients in the U.S. makes products sound like Frankenstein’s monster. In reality, it’s a natural ingredient for which consumers have a familiar name,” a former Nestlé executive told Reuters.
The company has discussed this issue with members of the health secretary’s team, as U.S. authorities are reviewing labeling requirements as part of the Trump administration’s “Make America Healthy Again” initiative.
Nestlé’s Chief Technology Officer, Stefan Palzer, confirmed that the company is participating in discussions on the reforms through industry associations. According to him, the manufacturer aims to reduce the number of ingredients with names that are unclear to consumers, provided this does not affect the safety, quality, or properties of the products
Reuters notes that the issue affects more than just Nestlé. Industry associations representing major food manufacturers, including Coca-Cola, PepsiCo, and Cargill, also advocate for the use of more understandable terminology on packaging. At the same time, some public health experts warn that eliminating scientific names could make labeling less transparent and make it harder for shoppers to understand exactly which food additives are contained in a product.
It should be noted that in the U.S., regulations more often require ingredients to be listed by their technical names. In Europe, manufacturers may use different labeling options depending on the substance’s intended use. For example, ascorbic acid may be listed as an antioxidant, vitamin C, or simply as ascorbic acid.
