Annie's Working With Suppliers To Remove Ortho-Phthalates from Mac and Cheese

Annie’s announced late last month it is working with its suppliers to remove ortho-phthalates from mac and cheese. 

Ortho-phthalates, also known as phthalates, are commonly used in tubing and conveyor belts to make rigid plastic more flexible. They can also be found packaging ink as well. These same chemicals have been found to cause health problems in children and endocrine issues in adults. 

Annie's, which is owned by General Mills, made the announcement after reports of phthalates being found in dairy ingredients of macaroni and cheese. The company explained on the next course of action on its website, "We continue to work with our trusted suppliers to eliminate ortho-phthalates that may be present in the packaging materials and food processing equipment that produces the cheese and cheese powder in our macaroni and cheese." 

In a statement, a spokeswoman for General Mills, which owns Annie’s, said, “We are committed to learning more to better understand this emerging issue and determine how Annie’s can be a part of the solution.”