Check out the May 2021 issue of Prepared Foods, featuring our cover story on new sweetener options, rising expectations of "clean label," new side dishes for foodservice operators, and much more.
The rapidly expanding array of sweetener options merits a look at the best uses, applications, and formats whether considering them solely for flavor and performance or with an eye on reduction of nutritive sugars. Among the nutritive sweetener, trending sources include syrups from maple, sorghum, corn, and malted grains.
With summer nearly here, all things grilling and barbecue become top of mind. When it comes to burgers and hot dogs, restaurant operator trends pave the way for cookout-inspired innovations, and Datassential's MenuTrends database provides the trend data to help focus creativity.
Foods and food ingredients can affect our moods in myriad ways, both in the short-term soon after consumption and in the long term as part of our overall holistic physiology. What we ingest can have a positive impact on certain conditions, such as depression or anxiety, or, when simply quite pleasurable – think: chocolate or ice cream – give a quick burst of dopamine.
Nearly every Old World cuisine holds the keys to building flavor, not only through indigenous ingredients but also through its cooking techniques. While batch production often necessitates shortcuts, it is possible to lose sight of the fundamentals that make culinary creation worthwhile. Fortunately, there is something of a revival happening in which even larger prepared food makers are reintroducing those basics of culinary art.
The recent explosion in consumer interest in health has led to a substantial jump in demand and sales of better-for-you foods and beverages. And, as consumers seek products with ingredients that can deliver added benefits for immune system health, they are expressing their preferences for natural solutions. Plant-based protections and remedies are an undeniable part of this trend.
Consumers’ growing interest in cleaner living is broadening and this is raising expectations around what constitutes a “clean label.” In fact, this evolving demand necessitates use of more meaningful storytelling.