The Food Naturalness Index (FNI): An integrative tool to measure the degree of food naturalness

ConclusionsThe FNI proposed herein is comprised of four component measures, namely farming practices, free from additives, free from unexpected ingredients, and degree of processing, which includes 10 relevant food naturalness attributes that can be consistently evaluated from information on the product label. The FNI scores were highly correlated with consumers’ perceptions of food naturalness. The FNI has the potential to become a valuable tool in the process of reformulating existing products, developing new ones, and understanding, tracking, and communicating food naturalness attributes in the marketplace. Furthermore, the FNI may provide an objective basis for the use of the “natural” label on food products, which can ultimately lead to better-informed choices.
Source: Trends in Food Science and Technology - Category: Food Science Source Type: research