Panera Bread's menu items won't have artificial additives by the end of 2016, a Tuesday announcement reveals.
According to The Detroit Free Press, the company is taking out artificial colors, flavors, sweeteners and preservatives from all food. The company expects to remove high fructose corn syrup from all beverages at a later date.
Panera Bread's founder and CEO told The Free Press that he wants to serve customers food he is interested in.
"I want to serve food that I want to eat," Ron Shaich said. "Millennials understand that prevention is far better than reacting to a disease. Beyond removing additives from old products, the chain's intentions are to hold the vast majority of its new products to this same standard. When you understand what you're eating, you're more likely to make choices in your self-interest."
Panera Bread's deli smoked turkey will not have potassium lactate, sodium phosphate, sodium phosphate, sodium erythorbate, sodium nitrite and sodium diacetate.
Horseradish will be free of calcium EDTA, while citrus pepper chicken won't contain maltodex and potassium lactate.
The company is also taking ascorbic acid, tocopherol, tara gum, carrageenan, potassium sorbate and sodium benzoate out of cilantro jalapeno hummus.
Summer corn chowder won't have tapioca dextrin, modified corn starch, autolyzed yeast extract, maltodextrin, coconut oil taken from triglycerides, and artificial flavors. The food chain is also removing the caramel color from its roast beef.
The Center for Science in the Public Interest's executive director told The Free Press that despite these adjustments, some Panera products will still have unhealthy ingredients.
"These changes don't turn Panera into a health food emporium," Michael Jacobson said, adding that most of the company's breads are still made with white flour rather than whole wheat. Meanwhile, the Italian combo sandwich, comprised of 2,850 milligrams of sodium, "is way more sodium than someone should have in an entire day."
