What does 'all natural' mean?Updated a few seconds ago
Since we started Cutter & Squidge our ethos has always been to use all- natural ingredients when we produce our delicious products. This means that we do not add any artificial colours, flavourings or preservatives when making your treats! Artificial colours and flavours are synthetic chemical mixtures that mimic a natural colour or flavour in some way; the colours and flavours we use come from fruits, spices and vegetables. i.e vanilla essence (chemical) vs vanilla extract (we make this ourselves from vanilla beans)
This means our ingredients are minimally processed and free from artificial colours, flavours, preservatives, and sweeteners. By choosing all-natural ingredients, we ensure that our products not only taste incredible but also align with a commitment to health and sustainability*.
We do, however, allow some of our suppliers to use certain natural food additives such as natural colourings as permitted by the EU**. These additives are derived from natural sources and are approved for their safety and efficacy, helping us maintain the high quality and freshness of the products supplied to us, for example chocolates and vegan sweets which are sometimes made for us by a specialist supplier.
In very limited circumstances and where we have no commercially viable*** alternative and for very limited ingredients our suppliers may use additives sulphur dioxide, malic acid and potassium sorbate. These substances are used to preserve the freshness and extend the shelf life of certain ingredients. Sulphur dioxide is commonly used to prevent oxidation and discoloration in dried fruits, while potassium sorbate inhibits the growth of mould and yeast in various food products. Although these additives help ensure the quality and safety of the ingredients, we strive to minimise their use and our priority is always to select suppliers who prioritise natural preservation methods. Where these additives are present you will find them listed in our ingredients, we believe in transparency and quality, so you can enjoy our treats knowing they are crafted with the finest natural components.
*To accommodate wheat free and vegan dietary requirements the ingredients available to us are typically by their nature highly processed to to mimic the non vegan version for example vegan butter compared with dairy butter..
**https://natcol.org/natural-food-color/introduction-to-natural-food-colors/
*** determined by factors which include supply availability and volume, appropriate food safety accreditation of supplier, location of supplier