{"id":66569,"date":"2017-02-20T08:30:54","date_gmt":"2017-02-20T12:30:54","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/stateofthenation2012.com\/?p=66569"},"modified":"2017-02-20T08:31:17","modified_gmt":"2017-02-20T12:31:17","slug":"panera-makes-good-on-cleaner-food-promise-dumps-all-synthetic-food-additives","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/stateofthenation2012.com\/?p=66569","title":{"rendered":"Panera makes good on \u201ccleaner food\u201d promise, dumps all synthetic food additives"},"content":{"rendered":"

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by: Howard Roark<\/p>\n

(Natural News<\/a>) In a pacesetting move for its industry, Panera Bread made a promise some time ago to eliminate all artificial ingredients from food items at its restaurants. Now, after considerable effort, they have made good on that pledge.<\/p>\n

CS Monitor<\/em> reports that 122 ingredients have been reformulated by Panera, and they have partnered with over 300 vendors to design new products in this groundbreaking move. All artificial colors, sweeteners, flavors and preservatives have been removed from both their restaurant menu and take-home foods.<\/p>\n

Panera\u2019s founder and CEO, Ron Shaich, said in an interview, \u201cGood food costs more, but we think consumers get it.\u201d With respect to commitment to menu transparency, he added, \u201cGuests deserve to know not only what is in their food, but where it comes from, and how companies are impacting the food system.\u201d<\/p>\n

This is great news for the fast food eating public, because Panera now has drive-thrus. Panera has raised the bar on quality, and hopefully more restaurants will be quick to follow. (RELATED: Follow more news about the fast food industry at FastFood.news<\/a>)<\/p>\n

Panera sees that eventuality as a win-win situation, and Shaich is willing to help other chains to improve their menus. \u201cWe are happy to work with any of our friends, and they are often friends, others in the industry. This is good stuff for everybody and we are doing this because it\u2019s good for guests. It\u2019s a better way to eat.\u201d The Panera Bread website states, \u201cWe are advocates for clean food. We\u2019re committed to sourcing and serving high-quality ingredients without artificial additives including added MSG, artificial trans fats, and ingredients we don\u2019t believe need to be in your food.\u201d (RELATED: See more on healthy food at Fresh.news<\/a>)<\/p>\n

Panera publishes an impressive \u201cNo No List\u201d of close to 100 harmful additives that they are committed to keeping out of the food they sell. These substances are common in typical diets, and include propylene glycol (antifreeze)<\/a>, F, D and C colors (carcinogens), aspartame (carcinogen), MSG (neurotoxin)<\/a>, benzoic acid (combines with vitamin C to form benzene, a carcinogen) and so on. Panera\u2019s Food Policy Statement specifies their commitment to \u201cpositive impacts\u201d that are\u00a0the hallmarks of an ethical company:<\/p>\n