Soy’s reputation as an all-purpose, healthful ingredient was tarnished slightly by the same media that elevated it to panacea status. But, the dust has settled. For those recognizing soy contributes greatly to health via multiple components, it still is the go-to wellness ingredient.
The culinary landscape continues to shift as consumers seek ever-higher taste territory. Not satisfied with flavors and aromas that inspired them yesterday, they want something new.
Formulating with stabilizers, whether using the various available starches or fibers, means choosing the right ingredient for the right product. Presenters at Prepared Foods’ R&D Seminars guided attendees through the science behind stabilizers.
Just as sports teams sometimes experience a “transitional year” from time to time, 2011 proved to be just such a year for makers of convenience meals and processed meats. The perception of these markets as relative “safe havens” for economically stressed consumers ebbed a bit as the economy improved.
In the coming year, food forecasters expect less emphasis on the center-of-the-plate proteins and more importance on vegetables and grains previously relegated to the perimeter. “When the New York magazine declared, ‘Vegetables are the new meat’ [November 2010], chefs started paying more attention,” says Kara Nielson, “trendologist” for the Center of Culinary Development, San Francisco.
Wine introductions had a good year in 2011. Despite slipping somewhat from 2010 numbers, the segment remained strong in terms of product launches. The year saw nearly twice as many wine debuts as 2009 and nearly three times the number reported in 2008, according to Mintel’s Global New Products Database (GNPD).
According to a 2011 report from the Hudson Institute, a policy research organization, companies that offer products with “better-for-you” (BFY) attributes perform better financially than companies that don’t.
Research suggests that overall eating habits—and thus nutritional status—would improve if people snack now and then. And that’s good news. Who doesn’t like an occasional snack? It’s no wonder marketers of snack foods, ranging from sweet confections to whole-grain crackers, continue to roll out innovations in a category that appeared saturated years ago.
An increasingly popular cuisine, Korean dishes contain identifying ingredients, such as chilies, garlic and savory sauces. Umami and kokumi enhancers play an important role, as well.
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