Food reformulation: how to remove warning labels without ruining your product

Since Colombia's Law 2120 of 2021 took effect, the black octagonal warning labels have become one of the biggest headaches for food brands. A "High in sodium" or "High in sugar" label on the front of the package can reduce purchase intent by up to 30%.

The good news: most products can be reformulated to lose those labels, and consumers won't notice the difference.

What is food reformulation?

It's the technical work of adjusting an existing product's formula to improve its nutritional profile, reduce costs, extend shelf life or adapt it to new regulations — without changing the sensory characteristics that make it appealing to consumers.

How are warning labels removed?

It depends on the critical nutrient. For sodium, there are potassium chloride substitutes and flavor-masking techniques that allow significant reductions. For sugar, there are natural sweeteners and texture-modification technologies that preserve the perception of sweetness. For saturated fat, the lipid source can be changed.

The technical challenge is keeping the sensory experience intact — consumers should not notice that anything changed, except that the label is gone.

Does reformulation affect product cost?

Often it doesn't raise costs. It lowers them. Some ingredients can be replaced with more affordable options that perform equally well or better. At Atomic Foods we have delivered reformulations that removed warning labels and cut formula cost by 12–18% at the same time.

Got warning labels on your product? Book a free diagnostic and we'll tell you if it can be reformulated.