Transparency throughout the food supply chain earned top honors on the list of trends Innova Market Insights projected for 2021 at the close of last year. As predicted, the heightened consumer interest in clean labeling has already shown signs of continuing and is expected to remain a top priority. Although “clean label” remains an undefined term legally, the trend is largely centered on the consumer’s ability to recognize ingredients on the labels of the foods and beverages they enjoy.
With consumers continuing to pursue more healthy alternatives to their favorite indulgences, such as baked goods and ice cream, there comes a heightened interest in calorie counts — calories from sugar, especially. This has led to a rise in the use of natural high-intensity sweeteners, such as stevia and monkfruit; ultra-low-calorie 1:1 drop-in sweeteners, such as allulose; and natural sweetness enhancers, such as certain spices, fruit extracts, and syrups.