Over the years, though, I’ve struggled with one definition, because I’ve never been one for buying products that are “free” of something.

I guess I feel I’m buying something for something, not the absence of something and in some ways it always seemed to cheapen a product subconsciously.  And, after all, it’s just a feature of the product, not a benefit.  So I don’t gravitate toward to the (blank)-free products of the world.

But evidently the food consumer does, as shown at the International Food Technologist (IFT) convention in Chicago.  There was “free” stuff everywhere — and I’m not talking about the abundant sampling that took place.

Lots of products there help food manufacturers make claims of “free” this and “free” that in their processed foods. And it’s important, because the so-called “free from” trend is in full bloom.

Here’s a list of “blank free” claims products at IFT 16 can help food makers make.

• Allergen-free
• Gluten-free
• Peanut-free
• Tree-nut-free
• Lactose-free
• Sodium-free
• Gelatine-free
• RBST-free (bovine growth hormone)
• Trans-fat-free
• PHO-free (partially hydrogenated oil)
• Preservative-free
• Sulphite-free

(And that list doesn’t even touch on the “non” phenom, most notably, the non-GMO movement.)

Driving this is the uber food trend for more healthful food options.  That’s the same uber force that’s behind trends for clean labels, fresh ingredients, organics, anti-oxidants, super-fruits, fortification, probiotics, plant-based foods, nutritional yeast and omega-3.  Why else would someone take something out of a food — making if “free from” — if it wasn’t better without it?

The gluten-free movement, in particular, was well represented at IFT 16 and it seems to be fast-becoming mainstream.  For example, the number of global breakfast cereal launches since 2011 with a “gluten free” claim have jumped 557%, according to Innova Market Insights’ 2016 report.  A few years ago, “gluten free” products were only found in health food stores.  Now, you’ll find practically whole aisles in supermarkets dedicated to “gluten free” products.

“Allergy free” products in general are poised for further growth.  According to Datamonitor, around 20% of people say they avoid certain foods due to allergy or intolerance “most” or “all” of the time.   Hence, it’s no surprise that the number of global dairy products launches with a “lactose free” claim increased 35% from 2014 to 2015, per Innova Market Insights.

Consumers are on the look-out for “free from” food products, but we can’t forget the government is, too.  And, that’s why it takes a lawyer as well as a food scientists to make your “free from” claim.

The Federal Drug Administration definition includes the obvious: “Zero,” “no” or “without.” Those cover most of the “free from” business, because if you claim it doesn’t contain lactose, it better not include lactose.  But for some claims, like “fat free” or “sugar free” the definition also includes such things as  “Trivial Source of,” “Negligible Source of” or “Dietary Insignificant Source of” a nutrient.  Those require a look at the serving size and expert review.

For me, I’ve come to grips with the value of a “free from” claim.  It’s not something that motivates me at this stage of my life, but I’m sure as my dietary needs change, my attention to the exact content of my food will increase.  I’d prefer a feature have a positive benefit that’s unique and meaningful, but that’s sometimes confusion and often unnecessary when the consumer is looking to strictly avoid a particularly ingredient.

That’s why “free” is still a powerful four-letter word in the world of food marketing.