EUFIC’s Communication Lab #1 on Emulsifiers: combining consumer perceptions, scientific consensus, industrial challenges and safety expertise

Following the successful 2-step Communication Labs on Sweeteners (2024-2025), EUFIC hosted the Communication Lab #1 on Emulsifiers on 25 November 2025 to address EU’s food system’s current communication trends surrounding emulsifiers.

The interactive open webinar session featured 4 experts and a qualified audience (184 registered, 60% from industry, 20% from research, 10% from public institutions and services).

Experts discussed scientific, social, technological and regulatory aspects of emulsifiers to address both informational and educational challenges shaping the current debate on these food additives in the EU. They highlighted both the technical complexity of the topic and some communication opportunities for improving how emulsifiers’ science, benefits, challenges and safety are transmitted and perceived in public conversations.

Here is the video replay of this Communication Lab #1 on Emulsifiers:

Who were our 4 experts?

• Sophie Thiron, Associate Professor in Sociology at Université Toulouse Jean Jaurès (CERTOP/ISTHIA), discussed Consumers' perceptions of naturalness/artificialness towards added ingredients/food additives, including emulsifiers.
• Serge Michels, Founder of ScienceProtect, shared a State of the art and recent trends in global scientific publication pressure on emulsifiers.
• Marta Baffigo, Senior Director R&D Scientific and Regulatory Affairs EMEA & APAC at Cargill, identified Current industrial challenges concerning emulsifiers' uses, perceptions, and origins.
• Ana Maria Rincon, Senior Scientific Officer at EFSA’s Food Ingredients and Packaging Unit, elaborated on the current EU risk assessment of emulsifiers and the role of EFSA.

What are the key takeaways from this session?

• Consumer scepticism towards processed foods is not new, but today’s criticism is more diverse and socially differentiated, with perceptions of food “transformation” (e.g. processing) and food additives varying across social groups.
• Research on emulsifiers is rapidly evolving, but much of the biological evidence is based on animal studies and highly variable methodologies, making it challenging to translate epidemiological findings to actual human health outcomes.
• Emulsifiers perform specific and often essential technological functions in foods, and replacement is not always feasible or successful.
• EFSA’s risk assessment of food additives, including emulsifiers, relies on a weight-of-evidence approach, meaning conclusions are drawn from the totality of available data rather than individual studies, (and regularly updated when new evidence emerges)
• Transparent, consumer-friendly communication is critical: explaining ingredient complexity, chemical variability, functional benefits and addressing health concerns clearly and accurately can help reduce confusion and avoid unnecessary fear.

What’s next on this topic?

Building on these expert discussions, we are planning that the Emulsifiers Communication Lab #2 will take place in Spring 2026. This next edition will gather experts in a closed co-creation workshop setting, specifically tailored to food and health journalists and media. It will focus on how to communicate responsibly and purposefully on scientific uncertainty, regulatory processes and functional benefits around emulsifiers.