Sprout Foods Becomes 1st Baby Food with No Acid Preservatives

ANAHEIM, Calif., March 6, 2015 /PRNewswire/ -- Organic food company Sprout Foods announced today that it has adopted a unique ingredient sourcing and manufacturing strategy that eliminates the need for acid preservatives such as citric acid, ascorbic acid or lemon juice concentrate that can cause acid reflux and rashes in babies. Sprout now supplies the only comprehensive line of baby and toddler foods with no acidifiers, adding a new level of purity to a product portfolio that is already completely organic and free of GMOs, preservatives, artificial colors and flavors, and other additives.

"Many pediatricians recommend against feeding acid preservatives to infants because they can upset the baby's stomach, cause diaper rash on the bottom or the mouth, and potentially harm tooth enamel. But acidic additives are required in conventional hot fill manufacturing processes to prevent the growth of bacteria and produce a shelf-stable product," said Geoff Stella, Sprout VP of Marketing.  "Our use of acid-free ingredients, cooking technique and associated packaging changes have required an extra investment, but enabled us to prevent acid-related issues like stomach upset that every parent wants to avoid."

The change applies across Sprout's entire product line, which includes 45 products for babies, toddlers and young children.  Choices range from single fruit and veggie purees for infants to healthy combinations like Pear Oatmeal with Maple & Carrot, Creamy Vegetables with Chicken, and Strawberry, Pear & Butternut Squash with Amaranth. All products come in flexible 'squeeze' packages for easy portability and self-feeding.

The new acid-free formulations mark the latest implementation of the three core values – real, honest and pure – on which the company has built its business since the first Sprout baby foods appeared on store shelves in 2009. All Sprout foods are:

• Real –No concentrates are used for sweetening or other purposes.  All Sprout meals and snacks are made exclusively from whole fruits, vegetables, grains, poultry and beef, so children get all fiber, protein, vitamins and other nutrients from the real thing.
• Honest – Unlike brands that highlight appealing ingredients like raspberries in their product names even if there is only a trace of raspberry or raspberry flavoring in them, Sprout's product names precisely match the top three or four ingredients in the package in descending order. If the first word in the product is "Apricot," then apricot is the #1 ingredient.   
• Pure – In addition to being organic and GMO-free, Sprout is the only brand that is unadulterated by sugar, salt, preservatives, acids, artificial colors or flavors, or thickeners like guar gum.

"Parents don't want to cut corners when it comes to their kids, and that's why we don't," Stella said. "Our products are the closest thing to homemade that you can get on a grocery shelf."

Sprout Foods is exhibiting at Booth #5575 at the Natural Products Expo West trade show that opens today in Anaheim.

About Sprout Foods

Sprout Foods, Inc. provides premium organic foods for babies, toddlers and their families that encourage happy and healthy eating. Founded in 2009, Sprout uses only organic and GMO-free ingredients and unique cooking methods to create tasty, nutritious combinations that appeal to all ages. For more information, visit: http://www.sproutorganicfoods.com.

SOURCE Sprout Foods

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http://www.sproutorganicfoods.com