Yogurt Company Tried To Avoid Artificial Ingredients, Turns Out That's Not So Easy

Nowadays, many major food companies are ditching artificial ingredients in an effort to appear more wholesome. Panera Bread, Nestle, and Dunkin' Donuts, among others, all have moved to rid their products of additives and preservatives.

This isn't as easy as it sounds. Experts say it can be difficult to maintain consistency and taste in mass-produced foods without adding these chemicals. There's also the question of cost. Many companies prefer our industrial food system — with all the low-quality ingredients and unsavory practices that come with it — precisely because it allows them to produce cheaper food at scale.

So how hard would it be for a company to simply rely on "real" food? To find out, I called up Siggi Hilmarsson, the New York–based Icelandic native behind Siggi’s yogurt. Unlike many other yogurt companies, Siggi's has never used artificial preservatives, thickeners, sweeteners, flavors, or colors in its yogurt. And every serving has about 25 to 50 percent less sugar than mainstream brands. As Hilmarsson says, "I’m really just putting together milk, fruit, a little cane sugar, and cultures."

To read the rest of the story, please go to: Vox