I’m writing this fresh from the annual Institute of Food Technologists (www.ift.org) conference and expo in Chicago. If you didn’t attend, as a source of food science and ingredient trends in the trillion-dollar world of food product development and manufacturing, it can’t be beat. Kudos to the legions of IFT support staff, lead staff, and admin who made it happen!
Along with physical and cognitive activity, engaging with a healthy diet is a third modifiable lifestyle factor that has been linked to overall brain health and attenuated cognitive decline.
A combination of explosive popularity of plant proteins and rapidly growing demand for foods manufactured with a much smaller carbon footprint is giving alternative proteins a big push.
A formulator could almost bet on success of a product with any colorful and exotic fruit – especially the red, blue, and purple ones – that came loaded with powerful phytochemicals and nutrients like antioxidants, polyphenols, and anthocyanins.
In addition to a 2016 Retail Trends overview, this issue also brings you Prepared Foods’ annual round-up of trending nutraceutical ingredients for foods and beverages. The timing couldn’t be better: Not only is March is National Nutrition Month but this year’s report also follows the 2016 release of the 2015 USDA Dietary Guidelines.
In this year’s survey, conducted through BNP Media’s Market Research Division, processors revealed the ingredients and trends they see as forming the backbone of the healthful products market.