During the past 17 years, there has been a tremendous interest in the nutritional characteristics of trans fatty acids (TFAs). There are two primary reasons for this activity.
Austrian phenomena Red Bull showed beverage marketers that energy, in relation to food, no longer has to equate to calories. This is a disconnect for anyone who studied nutrition, as calories and energy have always been viewed as synonymous.
Innovative packaged retail foods often have origins in foodservice, which is why this month’s Ingredient Technology feature on inclusions is based on food flavor trends showcased at the National Restaurant Association (NRA) show in Chicago at the end of May.
Hopefully your summer travels find you in Chicago, host to this year’s IFT Annual Meeting & Food Expo. And, bring a healthy appetite, because the more than 1,000 exhibitors have been busy the past year developing innovations that are right on track with today’s trends.
Like
many Americans, I need a few cups of coffee in the morning. I’m OK with my home
brew. My husband, on the other hand, works in the Sears Tower and frequently
patronizes the many downtown coffeehouses. He seldom hesitates to inform me
that my cup of java just does not compare to the barista-made brew. (I use
premium beans, but there’s something about the coffeehouse process that results
in a better-tasting cup.)
Americans
are eating more cheese than ever before, with consumption showing no signs of
abating. In fact, according to data compiled by the Wisconsin Milk Marketing
Board, from 2005 to 2015, it is projected that, on average, every American will
be consuming an additional three pounds of cheese each year. That’s a lot of
cheese!
It
happened last week at my sons’ Bitty Basketball All Star games. A mom and I
started talking about food and nutrition, and when she learned what I do, she
pulled out her list of questions. The funny thing was that it probably did not
matter what I said, she had her opinions, and was looking for validation . . .
not for the scientific truth.
Orange
juice, a.k.a. OJ, has long been a staple in most consumers’ homes, and a
product many fluid milk dairies process and package, too. Though OJ is not
going away, it is losing refrigerated shelf space to juices made from one or
more so-called super fruits.