Clean label ingredients

Deliver the authentic clean label experiences that consumers are reaching for

Formulating to be what’s next^™ with clean label ingredients can bring many questions — especially when you have complex product positioning, functionality and performance needs to consider.

• "How do I get a clean label while keeping consumer-preferred taste and texture?"
• "What are clean label ingredients that can bring more value to my products?"
• "Which on-pack claims should I target with my clean label ingredient selection?"

Having introduced the first high-performing clean label ingredient in the 1990s and later published the industry's enduring "gold standard" clean label definition in 2011, Ingredion has led the way in clean label product innovation and technology for more than two decades. Look to our expanding range of cutting-edge clean label ingredients, in-depth consumer and market insights and full formulation and development support — all to help your brand create authentic foods and beverages with the ingredients consumers accept, expect and prefer.

Find your next clean label move

Clean label progress does not have to happen all at once. The right move depends on your product, category, market, retailer expectations and business objectives.

For some brands, the first step may be removing ingredients consumers perceive as less acceptable. For others, it may mean shortening ingredient lists, improving ingredient recognition, adding health and wellness benefits or optimizing texture and nutrition in products that are already well along the clean label path.

Ingredion helps you understand what to change first, why it matters and what can come next. By combining consumer acceptance intelligence with formulation expertise, we can help you prioritize clean label improvements that are practical, meaningful and aligned with the eating experience consumers expect.

What are clean label ingredients, and what defines simple labels?

Understanding clean label ingredients is essential in today's consumer-driven market. While there isn't a formal regulatory definition, clean label is primarily shaped by consumer perception of ingredient acceptability, label claim preferences and other factors. Clean label ingredients are recognized and accepted by consumers, free from genetically modified organisms (GMOs) and do not sound artificial. Moreover, their ingredient listing aligns with consumers' understanding of on-pack claims.

Taking it a step further, simple labels represent the next level of clean label. These products are crafted from a minimal number of highly accepted ingredients that meet consumers' specific expectations for a particular food or beverage. However, achieving simplicity may involve trade-offs, such as slight compromises in visual appeal, texture or shelf life.¹

Achieve performance and preference with clean label ingredients

For the last 30 years, manufacturers have used clean label ingredients to replace less-desired ingredients and drive appeal without compromising on taste, texture or functionality. In doing so, they've grown their brands and driven greater value throughout their business. Here's what clean label ingredients deliver:

Margin management

Clean label ingredients are manufactured all over the globe, enabling manufacturers to bypass the sourcing and pricing challenges associated with other commodities. Clean label ingredients can also reduce or replace other ingredients like dairy components to drive formulation cost effectiveness without impacting eating enjoyment.

Functional performance

Functional native starches, multifunctional flours and multibenefit citrus fibers withstand temperature swings from freezing to thawing, making them ideal for both shelf-stable and frozen food products. Additionally, certain emulsifiers can extend shelf life — which contributes to waste reduction — and they can help maintain consistent, intended product quality throughout.

Label appeal

All clean label ingredients are non-GMO, and certified organic options enable on-pack labeling. Many ingredients are free of gluten, grain, nut and dairy, which supports allergen-free labeling and celiac needs, ketogenic and paleo lifestyles and kosher, halal and vegan requirements.

Nutritional and wellness appeal

As consumers take steps to improve their overall wellness, they are asking for foods and beverages with recognized ingredients they can feel good about. The inherent composition and unique textures of functional native starches, multifunctional flours and citrus fibers can enable reduction of dairy and other fats to improve nutritional profiles while maintaining flavor, performance and sensory appeal.

Get insights to deliver on consumers' clean label expectations

Discover Ingredion's broad portfolio of innovative and versatile clean label solutions

Ready to advance your brand with clean and simple labels that deliver value to consumers and support your business goals? Ingredion offers a comprehensive portfolio of clean label ingredient solutions designed to help manufacturers improve ingredient perception, shorten labels and maintain the eating experiences consumers expect.

Our ingredient solutions include functional native starches, co-texturizing starches, multifunctional flours, citrus fibers, plant-based proteins, stevia and naturally derived emulsification support so you can make practical formulation changes without losing texture, stability, indulgence or speed to market.

Support at every stage of innovation

Ingredion is more than an ingredient supplier. We help brands make better decisions about what to change, why it matters and what comes next. As a trusted partner of food and beverage brands around the world, we provide:

• Guidance based on consumer acceptance and ingredient perception
• Market, retailer, category and application expertise
• Prototypes that help prove feasibility
• Tools and frameworks that can help reduce decision risk
• Formulation support to help brands move from idea to launch with greater speed

Clean label FAQs

How do I reformulate to clean label?

Be sure to start with a knowledgeable supplier. They can help look at the situation holistically to define your functional needs and then identify ingredients that will deliver on both your performance requirements and brand strategy. As part of this, you'll need to consider whether there are specific claims that you want to include and how the product will be positioned versus competitive products in the aisle.

Are clean label ingredient claims regulated?

While "clean label" as a claim is not regulated, the claims and attributes that comprise clean label are indeed regulated and vary by region/country and certifying agency. This includes claims that relate to the formulation, such as "no additives" and "no preservatives," and claims such as non-GMO, natural and organic, which rely on third-party certifications. Ingredion has invested in capabilities to stay in step with the regulatory landscape and help our customers navigate the options for their products so that they can use their clean label ingredients confidently.

How can I improve speed to market of my clean label products?

Know-how. Insight. Capability. Collaboration. Simply, Ingredion has the deep clean label understanding to help you meet your end-to-end needs. Remember, clean label is not an “all-or-nothing" venture; you can swap out a single ingredient, pursue a major formulation overhaul or find yourself somewhere in the middle. Wherever you are in your clean label journey, count on Ingredion for:

• Broad portfolio to help meet your specific functional needs — performance, process tolerance, shelf stability
• Varied range of base materials that appeal to consumers and improve labels
• Proprietary data and insights to identify ingredients and claims that will create differentiated products
• Expert formulation and product innovation support to get you to market faster
• Available cost-stability solutions to help protect margins against supply uncertainty
• An expanding global network of manufacturing locations to ensure product is available when needed

Which clean label claims make the most sense?

In all regions, “natural” is one of the most preferred claims, but you will need to do your homework to select the right ones for the product, region and local regulations. Much like ingredients, consumer-preferred claims vary by region. Regardless of your chosen claims, make sure the front-of-pack claims match the back-of-pack ingredient list for trust and transparency. Ingredion can help you evaluate which claims and ingredient choices best align with your category, your market and your consumers’ expectations.

Can clean and simple ingredients support business objectives?

Cleaner labels can help strengthen consumer trust, support preference and improve brand relevance. For many consumers, clean and simple labels offer extra value worth paying for — including recognized ingredients, lack of artificial ingredients and third-party verifications/certifications such as non-GMO and organic. In fact, our 2025 ATLAS research revealed that 50% of global consumers are willing to pay 10% or more for claims that are important to them (with the percentage changing depending on the specific claim), with about 14% of all respondents open to a 30% premium^.1

Is clean label reformulation all or nothing?

No. Clean label is a continuum, not a pass/fail standard. Some brands begin by removing less-preferred ingredients. Others focus on shortening labels, improving ingredient recognition, supporting health and wellness goals or taking a larger step toward category leadership. The right path depends on your formula, your market, your consumers and your business objectives.

1 ATLAS®, Ingredion Proprietary Consumer Research, 2023

The information described above is solely offered for your consideration, investigation and independent verification. It is up to you to decide whether and how to use this information. Ingredion Incorporated and the Ingredion group of companies make no warranty about the accuracy or completeness of the information contained above or the suitability of any of their products for your specific intended use. Furthermore, all express or implied warranties of non-infringement, merchantability or fitness for a particular purpose are hereby disclaimed. Ingredion Incorporated and the Ingredion group of companies assume no responsibility for any liability or damages arising out of or relating to the foregoing.