Clean labels are increasingly associated with health, transparency, sustainability, and trust, and are sought by consumers who want more natural and less processed products. In other words, recognizable ingredients and short lists are preferred.
For example, in Brazil, 69% of consumers show interest in natural options (organic, non-artificial ingredients) for healthier eating¹, and 63% say they trust labels to make healthy choices².
In Thailand, 39% of ready-meal consumers consider that a clean label (without additives or preservatives) is an important feature when choosing these products³.
Meanwhile, in the United States, the importance of ingredient lists and nutritional information is high: 37% consider these details “very important” and 28% “extremely important” on packaging⁴.
In today’s market, foods with a “clean label” promise transparency and simpler ingredients. However, in major regulatory agencies worldwide, such as the United States (FDA) and the European Union, phosphates must be declared on ingredient lists when used as food additives. Despite this, these compounds often go unnoticed by consumers.
For decades, phosphates have played a central role in the food industry, especially in processed meats, where they improve texture, moisture retention, juiciness, and shelf life. However, this reliance is increasingly under scrutiny.
Excessive phosphate intake has been linked to kidney disease, cardiovascular risks, and vascular calcification. For consumers seeking healthier products, the presence of “hidden” phosphates undermines trust and transparency in food choices.
In this article, we will explore phosphates as a finite resource concentrated in a few countries, the health concerns, global regulations, and how Biorigin’s yeast extract is a natural, sustainable alternative for the food industry to replace and reduce phosphates.
ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACTS RELATED TO PHOSPHATE EXTRACTION
Although phosphates are essential to life and play a crucial role in global food production, they are a finite resource and unevenly distributed. In addition, the extraction process entails high environmental and social costs.
This concentration of reserves means that a few countries control most of the global supply, raising concerns about long-term availability, geopolitical dependence, and equitable access.
Phosphate is vital to agriculture, but its mining contributes to pollution, radioactive contamination, and excessive water use, and impacts the health and rights of neighboring communities.
On the one hand, phosphates are a limited and concentrated resource, raising questions about future supply; on the other hand, their extraction causes environmental degradation, biodiversity loss, water scarcity, and pollution that affect ecosystems and populations.
Understanding these impacts is essential to broaden the sector’s perspective and raise awareness within the food industry of the need to find natural, sustainable solutions that reduce phosphate use in products.
HOW PHOSPHATE AFFECTS CONSUMER HEALTH
In the food industry, phosphates are widely used as additives to improve texture, preserve freshness, retain moisture, and support fermentation in products such as processed meats, cheeses, baked goods, and soft drinks.
However, their use has raised growing concerns about health risks, including kidney damage and cardiovascular diseases, mainly due to the high bioavailability of inorganic phosphates and their often unnoticed presence in processed foods.
- Increased risk of osteoporosis: Excessive phosphate intake can increase phosphorus absorption, posing a particular risk when it exceeds 3,000 mg per person per day. Although phosphates do not directly cause bone mineralization, this high intake can disrupt hormonal regulation of phosphorus, calcium, and vitamin D.⁵
- Increased risk of cardiovascular disease: Elevated phosphate levels are associated with arterial stiffness, endothelial dysfunction, and vascular calcification—factors that raise cardiovascular risk, even in people without kidney disease.⁶
- Progression of chronic kidney disease (CKD): In CKD, phosphate excretion is impaired, leading to hyperphosphatemia, which worsens kidney damage through inflammation, oxidative stress, and hormonal imbalances (e.g., PTH, FGF23).⁶
Manoel Carniel, Market Intelligence Specialist at Biorigin, shares insights on market and industry needs: “Despite the growing appreciation for natural and clean-label products in the food market, there is still little awareness about the use of certain additives, such as phosphates. The impacts of their extraction, which can compromise ecosystems and lives, or the scientific evidence linking excessive consumption to health risks, are rarely discussed. Biorigin, recognized for its innovative approach and sensitivity to new consumer demands and market transformations, has identified phosphate use as a critical point for the food industry.”
REGULATION: RETHINKING PRODUCTS FOR GREATER TRANSPARENCY
With growing consumer demand for foods with clean, clear labels, the food industry faces increasing pressure to reduce or eliminate hidden phosphate additives and replace them with more natural alternatives.
The use of phosphates in processed meats represents a significant challenge due to rising health and sustainability concerns, as well as the functions they perform: fat emulsification, texture improvement, moisture retention, pH stabilization, and shelf-life extension.
The European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) has established Acceptable Daily Intakes (ADIs) and maximum permitted levels (MPLs) ranging from 500 to 20,000 mg/kg for 104 authorized food categories. For meat products, regulatory bodies have considered limiting levels to 0.5%⁷ to curb excessive use.
In this scenario, manufacturers can meet consumer expectations by replacing phosphates, developing entirely natural, clean-label processed meats, and adapting their portfolios to new market demands.
We invited Erika Nunes Sene, Food Regulatory Affairs Specialist at Biorigin, to share essential insights on the topic: “There is a growing demand for clean-label products and an increasing aversion to foods containing additives such as phosphates, as these products are often classified as ultra-processed, a category associated with health risks and targeted by public policies. In response, several regulatory initiatives are under discussion, including restrictions or mandatory labeling, especially for those containing synthetic additives. In this context, replacing phosphates with yeast extracts emerges as a strategic solution aligned with regulatory and market demands. This approach helps meet clean-label requirements by eliminating synthetic additives, reducing front-of-pack warnings, lowering sodium content, and increasing the perception of naturalness among consumers.”
BIONIS YE NS PRO: A NATURAL ORIGIN SOLUTION AS AN ALTERNATIVE TO PHOSPHATE
Replacing phosphates is not simple. They provide multiple functionalities simultaneously: moisture retention, pH stability, and texture improvement, which makes reformulation challenging without compromising quality or consumer acceptance.
Many companies risk losing competitiveness if they do not adapt, especially as global demand for healthier and more natural products continues to grow.
It is in this context that our solution stands out. Bionis YE NS PRO offers the meat industry an effective and reliable alternative to phosphates.
Beyond functionality, it enables manufacturers to:
- Develop healthy formulations without sacrificing flavor or texture;
- Enhance juiciness and sensory profile, ensuring consumer satisfaction;
- Support health and sustainability goals, meeting market demands and regulatory requirements;
- Capture growth opportunities in the clean-label processed meat market.
“Yeast extract is a promising alternative to the challenges the processed meat industry faces with phosphates. Bionis YE NS PRO delivers functionality, flavor, and juiciness without compromising health or sustainability,” highlights Regiane Ghirotti, Product Manager at Biorigin.
To demonstrate the practical application of Bionis YE NS PRO in recipes with phosphate reduction and replacement, Biorigin has prepared a delicious Crispy Chicken Bites recipe. Click here to download the e-book.
Alexandre Raszl, Food Application Manager at Biorigin, adds: “In the Crispy Chicken Bites application, we used three solutions from Biorigin’s portfolio. Bionis YE NS PRO replaces sodium tripolyphosphate to improve texture and juiciness, serving as a natural alternative to phosphate substitution. In addition, Bionis YE NS PRO can be used in various meat products, such as burgers, breaded chicken, pork and chicken cuts, sausages, ham, mortadella, and more.”
Major global brands have already launched phosphate-free products, and this movement is only expected to intensify. The future belongs to companies that combine innovation, responsibility, and consumer trust, and yeast extract is the ideal partner in this transition.
Bionis YE NS PRO is part of the Bionis Specialties line. The product has a neutral salty profile and enhances the overall flavor of meat, maintaining and improving product quality in terms of taste and texture. It was also developed to act within the meat matrix, highlighting flavor and juiciness while preserving texture. Possible applications include soups, broths, sauces, snacks, processed cheeses, spreads, and meat products. Suitable for vegetarian and vegan recipes.
Biorigin’s Bionis, produced from selected strains of Saccharomyces cerevisiae, offers three versatile product lines. To learn more about each one, read our full article.
GET TO KNOW BIORIGIN
For over 20 years, Biorigin has used its knowledge and expertise in biotechnology to optimize the yeast fermentation process and, together with its partners, develop the best flavor solutions for healthy, convenient foods in a clean, sustainable way.
All ingredients are of natural origin, contain no animal-derived products, are Non-GMO Project Verified, Bonsucro sustainability certified, and Kosher and Halal certified. They can be used in a wide range of foods and beverages. It is a suitable solution for vegetarian and vegan initiatives to improve overall taste and texture and reduce fat, sugar, and sodium. To learn more and request a product sample, visit our website.
Sources:
¹ Healthy Eating Trends – Brazil – 2024
² Food & Beverage Packaging Trends – Brazil – 2025
³ Mintel – Patent insights: innovating flavourings and enhancers (2025)
4 Better for you Eating Trends – US – 2025
5 IOF – International Osteoporosis Foundation
6 EFSA – European Food Safety Authority and National Kidney Foundation
7 Regulation (EC) No. 1333/2008 – Categories: 08.2 Meat preparations, 08.3.1 Non-heat-treated meat products, 08.3.2 Heat-treated meat products
