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Texture’s impact also is not limited to mouthfeel. It is relevant to a product’s flavor, appearance and even a related auditory sound. For these reasons, it plays a strong role in the entire eating experience.

From lactic acid fermentations of produce (such as kimchi and sauerkraut), to fermenting of dairy (cheese, yogurt, etc.), to the curing and smoking of fish and meat are all proven, effective methods and technologies humans have relied on through the ages to alter the intrinsic properties of foods and extend their consumability.

Prepared Foods talks mocktail beverage trends with Maeve Webster, president of Menu Matters.

Buitoni, a leading national brand in the refrigerated pasta and sauce categories, is expanding the refrigerated pasta category with Impossible Foods to meet consumers' interests in functional plant-based meat products.

While the alcohol-free cocktail trend started a good half-decade or more before the 2020 onset of social disruption, lockdowns, and domino-like closings of clubs, pubs, and restaurants, those upheavals certainly contributed to the rapid rise in consumers choosing to teetotal. Somewhat. Throughout the past two years, consumption of alcohol beverages also rose markedly.

Since “dairy-free dairy” must deliver on a range of consumer needs, consumers who seek dairy alternatives due to an allergy or lactose sensitivity may want dairy alternatives that have comparable nutritional profiles to a dairy counterpart.

The next wave of pasta products boasts a world’s worth of influences and a host of new nutritional benefits, all introduced through ingredients novel to noodles and largely nonexistent in the pasta and prepared pasta meal spaces. Exploring beyond Italian and Asian, product developers have turned to cuisine cultures ranging from Eastern Europe to Turkey to North Africa to bring greater variety, and nutrition, to the humble noodle dish.

Prepared Foods talks coffee ingredient and beverage trends with Chef Eric Nakata, a 20-year food and beverage industry culinary expert. 

Each year, a Trends Council of more than 50 Whole Foods Market team members, including local foragers, regional and global buyers, and culinary experts compile trend predictions based on decades of experience and expertise in product sourcing and studying consumer preferences, as well as in-depth workshopping with emerging and existing brands. Here is a list of the council's top 10 trends for 2022...