On Jan. 1, 2020, the first stage of FDA's mandated Nutrition Facts label change went into effect. Companies with $10 million in annual sales or more are now required to list added sugars on their products' labels, and other brands will be required to follow suit by 2021.

Dairy foods are ideal components of a sensible weight management plan, but added sugars can sabotage the healthy aspects of those foods.

These days, terms such as keto, paleo, high-protein, plant-based, vegan, even "pegan" (paleo-plus-vegan), describe not just diets but entire lifestyles.

Clean label is a trend that is here to stay. Some of the more common attributes associated with clean label include minimally processed, sustainable, simple and fewer ingredients, organic, non-GMO and "free from" claims regarding artificial colors and flavors, preservatives and more.

The pending change to nutrition labeling regulations requiring the declaration of "added sugars" (AS) in the Nutrition Facts panel is likely to make AS content the subject of competitive market positioning. The pending increase in ice cream serving size from 1/2 cup to 2/3 cup (which increases AS by >30% per serving) further complicates AS management.

If you'e ready for the day when FDA mandates that all food and beverage labels stipulate not only how much total sugar is in each serving, but how much of that sugar is "added," take a bow: Prepping for the "added sugars" deadline has been no mean feat.

Large companies will be required to list "added sugars" on their Nutrition Facts panels by the end of this year.

It seems that every year I learn about another exotic tropical superfruit brimming with healthy phytonutrients. But the reality is that most fermented dairy products in the United States rely on a fairly narrow list of traditional and cost effective fruits in their flavor lineup.

As I strolled the aisles at the Institute of Food Technologists' most recent food expo (IFT18: A Matter of Science + Food, which took place in July at Chicago's McCormick Place), it didn't take long to discern which food and beverage trends ingredient suppliers were betting on to remain top of mind with consumers. And all of them have a place in the dairy industry.