Adventurous, bold flavors in sauces and condiments are driving new consumer taste discoveries, according to a new trend report from the Center for Culinary Development (CCD) and market research organization Packaged Facts.
Food prices are likely to fall slightly from 2011 levels next year, the US Department of Agriculture (USDA) has said in its first food price index outlook for 2012.
Reducing portion sizes has become an important strategy for healthy eating – particularly among younger US adults, according to new research from market research firm The NPD Group.
Fortification and added healthy ingredients are stronger factors in driving purchases of foods perceived as healthy than absence of less healthy ingredients like sugar, saturated fat and sodium, according to the results of a new survey.
Store brands are still perceived favorably by consumers but they may be losing some of their appeal, according to the results of a new poll conducted by market research firm Ipsos Marketing.
Government proposals designed to protect children from junk food marketing are “based on nutrition standards that are virtually unachievable”, according to a group of Campbell Soup employees.
Many consumers still mistakenly believe that sea salt contains less sodium than table salt, although its primary allure remains its all-natural, unprocessed image, according to one leading supplier.
Chr Hansen is expanding the ‘clean label’ options for manufacturers with its new series of natural colors for the US food and beverage industries sourced from fruits, vegetables, herbs, and spices.
Almost two thirds (62 percent) of shoppers claim that their food buying behavior has changed as a result of higher food prices, according to a new survey.
Calorie labeling, healthier options and reformulation work notwithstanding, some of America’s biggest restaurant chains are still selling products so eye-wateringly caloric that diners eating just one course are getting all the calories they need for...
Sales of seafood in US foodservice outlets slumped 2 percent in the year to March 2011, according to market researcher the NPD Group. This compares with flat traffic in the foodservice market as a whole.
While a dietary solution to the ticking time bomb of type 2 diabetes would appear to have huge commercial potential, the US market for foods and supplements that keep our blood glucose levels healthy has yet to set the world on fire.
While Campbell Soup’s reduced sodium u-turn pales into insignificance when compared with the New Coke debacle, it should serve as a cautionary tale for all food manufacturers embarking on reformulation work, according to marketing experts.
With brand loyalty in the beverage aisles “in freefall” manufacturers have to work harder to excite consumers with new ideas from retro-style acid phosphates to drinking vinegar and Horchata, according to market researchers at The Hartman Group.
Average milk consumption in the US dropped eight percent from 22.4 gallons per person a year in 2000 to 20.6 gallons in 2009 and will continue to slide over the next decade, according to Tetra Pak’s Dairy Index report for 2011.
It’s food Jim, but not as we know it … From the latest on NASA’s food research and the next generation of high oleic cooking oils to the rise and rise of Greek yogurt, this year’s IFT show was brimming with new ideas and technologies. Here’s part two...
Last month's IFT show in New Orleans was jam-packed with provocative presentations on everything from how to stop the 'lunatic fringe' hi-jacking the debate on food science to whether saturated fat deserves its reputation as a dietary bogeyman....
Almonds are the number one nut used in new global product introductions, according to market research organization Mintel – and almond-containing product launches are at an all-time high in North America.
US sales of organic foods and beverages continued to outpace conventional grocery sales in 2010, with the market growing 8.5 percent to reach $23.2bn at retail, according to a new report from Packaged Facts.
Food manufacturers continue to seek ways to cut sodium without sacrificing flavor - and ingredients companies continue to find innovative solutions. Caroline Scott-Thomas tracked down some interesting offerings at IFT.
Understanding how our ancestors ate and appreciating what nutrients we need from an evolutionary perspective is finally getting the headlines it deserves – the nutrition industry should take note.
Stevia player PureCircle, has agreed a multi-year global distribution agreement with Firmenich to accelerate commercialization of the company’s new natural flavor, NSF-02.
Univar Food Ingredients has developed an interactive formulation tool, bringing together trend data, technical expertise and case studies to help food manufacturers in effective new product development.
The stevia industry has not yet lived up to expectations - but it will, as more companies and consumers look to the sweetener as the answer to many American health problems, claims president and CEO of SweetLeaf Jim May.
US Pharmacopeia (USP) has said it is seeking industry comments on new quality standards for several functional food, food coloring and infant formula ingredients, for the latest Food Chemicals Codex.
Grocery shoppers are increasingly hitting food stores on a “narrowly focused mission” – perhaps shopping for a specific meal, or because they have run out of something – rather than stocking up for the week, according to Packaged Facts.
Ninety-two percent of consumers agree that eggs are an important part of a healthy diet – but 30 percent of respondents limit eggs due to cholesterol concerns, according to a new Mintel report.
Morton Salt has said it will serve as North American distributor for K+S Group’s potassium chloride ingredient Kalisel, expanding its range of sodium reduction ingredients.
New research into food prices shows that unhealthy options are not always more affordable, although the relative cheapness of soft drinks, refined grains and starchy veg vs healthier alternatives means Americans “may have an economic incentive to consume...
Only a third (34 percent) of Americans eat breakfast every day, although 54 percent say they would like to, according to a Kellogg Company survey of 14,000 Americans.
The Nutrition Keys front-of-pack labeling system unveiled by the Grocery Manufacturers Association and Food Marketing Institute last year is an industry abuse of trust, claims a new commentary.
US-based Ecolab Inc. has received an award at the 4th annual World Economic and Environmental Conference in Qingdao, China for its work to reduce carbon emissions and improve carbon efficiency.
A quarter of Americans’ daily calories are now consumed as snacks and drinks between meals, according to researchers at last week’s IFT expo in New Orleans.
Corn Products’ National Starch introduced a new tapioca starch ingredient at the IFT expo in New Orleans last week for making thick, creamy, Greek-style yogurt without the need for straining.
Confectionery giant Mars predicts a major cocoa shortage by 2020 and reveals harmonization of global cocoa certification programmes to ensure meaningful income hikes for farmers is one of its sustainable cocoa project goals.
The convergence of food and supplements combined with other factors such as convenience is driving the move towards simplicity, a trend that is not only here to stay, but also represents 'the future', says Jeff Hilton from the Integrated Marketing...
Digital technologies are creating major opportunities for the food industry, according to a new report from PricewaterhouseCooper (PwC) and the Grocery Manufacturers Association (GMA).
The rise of specialty flours with nutritional and textural functionality is opening doors for food formulators in a range of applications, from bakery to soups, and the potential is impressive, says Corn Products International’s VP of research.
Hype about the promise of stevia created inflated expectations – but the market has evolved in response, according to stevia supplier PureCircle’s vice president of global marketing Jason Hecker.
ConAgra Mills has introduced a new treatment and delivery system for flour intended to mitigate the food safety risks associated with raw flour without affecting gluten functionality.
It could be years before certified sustainable palm oil (CSPO) derivatives are affordable for most US food manufacturers, although changes to the ‘mass balance’ option for sustainable palm could bring prices down, suppliers have admitted.
Consumers want to get their nutrition from a healthy diet, not from popping pills. But why do so many functional foods tick all the right boxes on paper, but fail miserably on shelf? Elaine Watson caught up with George Pontiakos, chief executive of BI...
Glanbia Nutritionals has expanded its OptiSol clean label ingredient range with a new high protein dairy concentrate for creamier fortified frozen yogurts and desserts.
