Food Forecast 2007

What's in the tea leaves for the food science and technology sector this year? Food Technology editors take the challenge and provide a glimpse into the food future.

Looking Back: Top Food Science Stories of 2006
James Giese, IFT Internet Editor

Past performance is no guarantee of future outcomes, right? The rising demand for and cost of corn, the public concern over trans fat, the safety of seafood, and IFT's testimony to the FDA on functional foods were highlights of the last year. And looking back at 2006, one of the biggest wild cards in the U.S. food industry for 2007 will be how the new Congress will address food safety issues.

Food Safety
Pushing the current calls from Congress to address food safety is the drop in consumer confidence in the wake of several prominent microbial outbreaks in fresh produce.

In September 2006, the U.S. FDA recalled prepackaged fresh spinach because of a widespread E. coli outbreak that was traced to several counties in California . The recall led to a temporary shortage of all spinach products across the U.S.

Also in September, fresh tomatoes consumed at restaurants were responsible for an outbreak of Salmonella typhimurium infections in 21 states. Later in the year, there was as E. coli O157:H7 outbreak linked to lettuce from Taco Bell restaurants in the northeastern U.S. Finally, there was another E. coli outbreak associated with lettuce from Taco John restaurants in the Midwest .

Rep. Rosa DeLauro (D-Conn.), the new chair of the Appropriations Subcommittee on Agriculture, may seek to reintroduce the Safe Food Act, which she sponsored in 2005 with Sen. Dick Durbin (D-IL). Sen. Durbin is the new Senate majority whip. The legislation would consolidate all food safety surveillance activities and establish a Food Safety Administration, responsible for the administration and enforcement of all food safety laws.

All of this played out as a report from the CDC's FoodNet Foodborne Diseases Active Surveillance Network revealed that infections caused by common foodborne bacteria such as Campylobacter, Listeria, Salmonella, E. coli O157, Shigella, and Yersinia continued to decline in 2005. The report was based on preliminary surveillance data for 2005 from 10 states, and compared the data to the baseline years of 1996-1998.

Corn prices go sky-high

The price of corn rose steadily throughout 2006. Corn prices have averaged around $2.50 a bushel for the past decade, but increased to than $3.00 a bushel in 2006, and then in January 2007, the benchmark price of corn reached an exchange-imposed limit of $3.96 a bushel shortly after trading began Friday, January 11 at the Chicago Board of Trade.

Nationwide in the U.S. , supplies of corn are expected to drop to 752 million bushels this year, a drop from last month's forecast of 935 million bushels and a steep decline from last year's supply of 1.967 billion.

According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, ethanol plants and foreign buyers are gobbling up U.S. corn supplies.

Several food ingredient processors announced price increases in 2006, due in part to rising corn and commodity prices.

For example, on December 4, 2006, National Starch Food Innovation increased its prices in North America across its food ingredients product portfolio. The increase ranged from seven to 10% on specialty products, depending on product complexity and the processing required. Price increases for unmodified corn starch products were considerably larger, reflecting the higher base cost of corn. The company cited significant price increases in the corn market, higher costs for synthetic raw materials, transportation, packaging, and utilities as reasons for the increase.

"Based on latest USDA estimates for the 2006/7 crop production, the projected carry over for the coming year is anticipated to fall below a critical threshold, resulting in significant increases in both cash and futures prices for corn," said Anthony DeLio, divisional vice president and general manager, National Starch Food Innovation-North America.

"The spot price for corn is 80% higher than last year; in addition, other suppliers are passing on price increases associated with the structural change in energy costs."

In addition to the general price increase, a premium of $2.00/cwt is now charged to North American customers requiring non-genetically modified (non-GMO), Identity Preserved (IP) certification for waxy-based food starches; this is similar to the existing premium for non-GMO, IP dent corn based products. This charge is required to offset the escalation in costs associated with securing and preserving IP-certified non-GMO ingredients in North America.

"These rising costs, related to crop isolation, segregation, storage, shipping and testing challenges, have been exacerbated by the sharp increase in the adoption of genetically modified corn varieties by North American farmers," said DeLio.

Beef, poultry and pork processors were also affected by the increasing costs of corn, an important feed ingredient. Smithfield Foods and Tyson both reported that earnings were affected by the increase.

Smithfield reported net income for the second quarter of fiscal 2007 of $44.7 million, or $.40 per diluted share, versus net income last year of $51.6 million. Smithfield is the leading processor and marketer of fresh pork and processed meats in the United States , as well as the largest producer of hogs.

In November, Tyson Foods, Inc., in what some considered an indication for the meat processing industry in coming months, reported a net loss of $0.17 per diluted share for the fourth quarter of fiscal 2006. The company also said higher feed grain costs, particularly for corn, will result in U.S. consumers paying more for meat in coming months.

Tyson CEO Richard Bond said few beef and chicken producers will be able to absorb rising feed prices without passing along those costs. He also forecast further production cutbacks by some in the domestic poultry industry, thus shrinking supply.

"In the long run, consumers will have to pay more for protein," Bond said. "The American consumer is making a choice -- corn for feed or corn for fuel."

Corn prices are likely to reach unprecedented highs in the next two to three years, as a growing ethanol boom in the U.S. could severely limit its availability for food and feed use.

Kiss trans fat goodbye?

Fresh produce and rising corn prices were not the only items vying for domination of the public health agenda this year. Trans fats, -- vegetable oils that have been treated with hydrogen to make them more solid with a longer shelf life -- made frequent headline appearances.

New York City became the first in the nation to ban the use of trans fat in restaurants. The phase-out of artificial trans fat in restaurant foods will happen in two stages. First, restaurants will have until July 1, 2007, to make sure that all oils, shortening, and margarine used for frying or for spreads have fewer than 0.5 grams of trans fat per serving. Oils and shortening used to deep-fry yeast dough and cake batter are not included in the first deadline.

The second deadline is July 1, 2008. By that date, all foods must have fewer than 0.5 grams of trans fat per serving if they have any artificial trans fat at all. Packaged foods served in the manufacturer's original packaging are exempt.

Chicago and Los Angeles were also considering a trans fat ban.

KFC, Wendy's, A&W, Taco Bell, and Starbucks were among the restaurant chains that announced they were switching their cooking oils and taking trans fat out of their products. Look for many new products being developed in the foodservice arena as these chains make the switch to other oils.

Part of the trans fat trend was prompted by the Food & Drug Administrations regulation requiring nutritional labels to list trans-fat content starting in 2006.

Experts disagree about the relative danger of trans fats vs. other fats. There is research currently underway to determine this. However, according to the FDA, it is accurate to say that the less saturated fat, trans fat, and cholesterol consumed, the better.

Leading health organizations -- including the American Heart Association, the National Academy of Sciences, the Institute of Medicine , the World Health Organization, and the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services -- recommend that people strictly limit consumption of trans fat.

The “disappearing” issues of 2006

Although much in the news in 2005 and early 2006, both avian influenza and Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy (BSE), a.k.a. mad cow disease, appeared much less frequently as the year went on.

Concerns about the spread of the avain flu strain H5N1 continued in early 2006 as cases where confirmed in a commercial poultry operation in France and the FAO warned that the virus continued to spread in poultry in Nigeria . German government officials confirmed the country's first cast of the H5N1 strain of bird flu in domestic poultry in 2006. Early in the year, as the avain flu was detected in new countries in Europe, Africa, and Asia, concerns grew about the possibility of a global pandemic. Though attention focused on Europe and Asia, the virus's spread in the poorer countries of Africa may turn out to be of greater importance.

In January 2007, Vietnam confirmed a bird flu outbreak among poultry in a southern province, the sixth reported infection in the region this month, as the virus shows no sign of abating in that country.

In March 2006, the CDC reported that the H5N1 virus responsible for the global bird flu outbreak had evolved into two genetically different strains.

Meanwhile, in January 2006, Japan once again halted all shipments of U.S. beef because of mad cow fears. The order came only six weeks after Japan had lifted a two-year ban on U.S. beef. According to a Japanese government statement, the ban was again imposed because of the discovery of cattle backbones in three out of 41 boxes in an 858-lb shipment of beef from the New York firm Atlantic Veal and Lamb Inc.

In March 2006, the USDA confirmed that a cow in Alabama had tested positive for mad cow disease. It was the third case of the disease confirmed in the U.S. The FDA said it was working with federal and state agencies to investigate the origin on the animal feed consumed by the cow, and the USDA confirmed that the cow did not enter the animal feed or human food supply.

The Japanese market reopened to U.S. beef in July. In 2003, the United States exported $1.4 billion worth of beef and beef products to Japan . Also in July, China lifted is its two-and-a-half-year ban on U.S. beef imports, imposed because of concerns of BSE discovered in some U.S. cows in 2003. However, the limited market opening only includes U.S. boneless beef under 30 months of age.

The USDA was disappointed by the limited opening. In a statement, Agriculture Secretary Mike Johanns said, "It's time for China to open its market to all U.S. beef products, in accordance with the international standards established by the OIE. We will not be satisfied until a full range of U.S. beef products are once again accepted into the Chinese market."

Seafood affirmed as safe?

Mercury in seafood was briefly in the news, as some consumer groups pointed to its presence. However, a variety of other groups affirmed seafood as a healthy food choice.

Americans can decrease their risk for heart disease by substituting seafood for other animal proteins, according to the Institute of Medicine of the National Academies. A government-sponsored study found that seafood is rich in nutrients, low in saturated fats, and should be incorporated more into the American diet to reduce the risk of early death by heart disease.

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), with support from the FDA, sponsored the independent study titled, "Seafood Choices: Balancing Benefits and Risks". Both agencies seek to simplify the message for consumers and help the public understand how to maximize important health benefits of eating seafood while minimizing exposure to environmental contaminants found in nearly every food source, including fish.

In spite of some concern about environmental contaminants, the study concludes that, on balance, "seafood is a nutrient-rich food that makes a positive contribution to a healthful diet." The findings advise all Americans to eat seafood regularly. Those who eat more than two servings per week should incorporate a variety of species into their diet to benefit from the variety of nutrients in different species and to avoid accumulated exposure to environmental contaminants.

IFT testifies to FDA on functional foods

Functional foods and health claims were much in the news in 2006. On Dec. 5, IFT submitted its 2005 Expert Report: Functional Foods: Opportunities and Challenges in testimony to an FDA Public Hearing on Functional Foods. The report recommends that product labeling be allowed to accurately reflect current scientific evidence.

IFT believes a few changes to regulatory policies involving functional foods could provide very positive benefits to consumers and consumer health. "Under existing regulatory policies, some food label claims cannot be factual and still accurately represent the science," said IFT Expert Panel member Barbara Petersen, Ph.D. in her testimony to the FDA.

The IFT Expert Panel recommended that FDA prohibit functional food claims that rely on preliminary studies, and instead develop guidelines that protect consumers from limited scientific information of no meaningful value.

The Expert Report also urged that the FDA not restrict the health effects of foods to the very limited concept of nutritive value, since the understanding of the interconnections between nutrition and other scientific disciplines is rapidly evolving.

The report recommended that instead, the FDA apply a policy that health claim benefits for functional foods be based on "nutritive value or through the provision of a physical or physiological effect that has been scientifically documented or for which a substantial body of evidence exists for plausibility," Petersen said.

Further, the IFT Expert Report recommended that FDA establish independent expert panels to make Generally Recognized As Efficacious (GRAE) determinations. These panels, fully disclosed, would be composed of scientists qualified to determine efficacy of the component under consideration. Panel reports would be submitted to FDA under a streamlined process similar to that used for Generally Recognized As Safe (GRAS) notifications.

Pszczola’s Ingredients Forecast for 2007
Donald Pszczola, Senior Associate Editor, Food Technology

Two thousand seven will be a year of “more” in the ingredients sector. More textures, more smoke, more exotic, more healthful. Food Technology Senior Associate Editor Donald Pszczola proffers his Top Ten, in no specific order, for 2007.

Expect to see more foamy textures and toppings. Toppings such as culinary foams will not only enhance the appearance of the product but help deliver creative flavors and textures.
Joining the company of traditional fruit and vegetable flavors will be new innovations such as Tommango, tropical cupuacu, purple tomatoes, red-fleshed apples, square watermelons, and healthful fruit and vegetable blends.
Dark chocolate will continue to gain preference. Chocolate will find increasing usage in non-confectionery applications, and chewing gum will prove to be an excellent delivery system for different flavors and nontraditional components.
Getting tired of breakfast bars? Breakfast foods may be getting re-energized over the next year with new ingredient developments and flavors.
In the dairy area, cheese will continue its rise as an ingredient, possibly becoming a vehicle for healthful components, as yogurt is in other areas of the world. And because of their health and functionality implications, under-the-radar dairy ingredients such as whey may be getting more of the spotlight.
Perhaps, a bit paradoxically, while a wide array of salt replacers continue to be developed, sea salt will be paired with ingredients ranging from caraway seeds to spices to beverage flavors.
Smokin’ may be a hot trend this year. Smoked spices, smoked cheesecake, smoked fruit flavors, and smoked tea are just a few possible examples. The emphasis on smoke flavors will also contribute to creating some interesting savory concepts.
Whole grains will move from the bread and bakery market to other arenas, such as snacking.
Beauty comes from the inside out, as ingredients will be taken internally for cosmetic and skin care benefit.
Foods will be reformulated based on cuisines from previously unexplored regions, such as Vietnam . Also, expect to see cuisines from different areas of the world combined to create their own special “menu”.

Culinary and Restaurant Trends
A. Elizabeth Sloan, Contributing Editor, Food Technology

Regions, aromas, and local flavors will play starring roles in 2007.

Flavors from afar
Places will play a critical role in 2007 culinary trend. Sicily will set a new pace for mainstream Italian diners, chefs will focus on the distinct cuisines of China – beginning with Szechuan, and key flavor elements from Indian, Middle Eastern and North African cuisines will finally make their first foray onto the mainstream American scene. Expect to see spices like Tandoori, curry, tikka masal, galangal, cumin, coriander, turmeric, mint, dill, yogurt, and saffron grace more dishes. Look for greater interest in Thai, Jamaican, Moroccan, Indian, and, to a lesser extent, Spanish fare. Cuisines of Central and South Americawill also be at the culinary cutting edge.

Hint of jasmine in the air
Aroma will be the new flavor. Aromatic spices and edible flowers including lavender, orange blossom, and jasmine will be in high demand. Chefs will be smoking and grilling everything from avocados to exotic fruits. Drizzling, sizzling, and skewering on a variety of natural “sticks” will add excitement to food, as will cooking with spirits like sake and champagne. Expect to see exotic nuts and newly flavored sauce combinations, such as mango habanera, and classics like Romesco, Kung Pow, hoisin, and even pina colada.

Grab a bite
Two thousand seven will be the year of the snack in the restaurant world. Expect bite-sized portable versions of savory and classic dishes and sandwiches, healthier grab-and-go ethnic items, bar tidbits, and liquor companions. And watch for the mainstreaming of “familiar” ethnic street foods from Mexico , Southeast Asia, Central America and Eastern Europe. Vietnamese “Pho” soup will move into the menu spotlight.

Healthfully gourmet
Look for less familiar species of fish to become more mainstream, breaded and fried foods to continue to lose appeal, and beef – especially burgers – to make a comeback as food safety issues mount in other food categories. Expect desserts to remain lighter, very experiential, lower calorie and very flavor intensive, with more contrasting flavors. Comfortably sweet classic flavors like custards and soothing mint flavors will get the nod, along with white chocolate. Fruit will remain exotic, and the layering of condiments and flavors will remain in vogue. Gourmet will continue to be the name of the game.

Local flavors
Local, U.S. regional, heritage/heirloom, artisan, and specific U.S. cities and states will become key flavor descriptors in 2007 and beyond. Watch for old southern cuisines from places like Charleston, and a surge in state-product associations -- especially from Pennsylvania, California, and the Carolinas.

Government Regulations & the Science of Food
IFT Office of Science Communications & Government Relations

Food safety and developing technologies will drive food-related regulatory issues in 2007.

Food Nanotech will stay a hot topic, but the safety issues will take the forefront. The benefits have been touted in many forums, but those wishing to take advantage of any applications will have to pay attention to consumer perceptions. We'll see increasing interest from FDA, the media and in turn, consumers. Significant research funds will be dedicated to studying the toxicology/safety of nanoscale biomaterials. For now, major food companies will hold off marketing food products that utilize nanotechnology until our understanding is sound.

Produce Safety will stay in the public and regulatory scene. There will be an enormous amount of pressure on the produce industry to develop improvements in food safety. In the short term, there may not be much coming to market in the way of novel processing (post-harvest), but instead, efforts will be focused on better on-farm management and scrutiny of the implementation of Good Agricultural Practices. Irradiation will see limited success in the marketplace in the foreseeable future due to negative public perception. Also, the recent produce outbreaks could result in increased authority for FDA and increased FDA/USDA collaboration.

Chemical Food Safety issues will increase. Expect calls for evaluation of ingredients that have long been considered safe --- such as the GRAS list (which is already under evaluation in Canada ). Sodium chloride is a likely candidate. The prevalence and health impact of chemicals such as acrylamide will continue to be debated.

Trans fat labeling is in effect, but the topic will continue to be newsworthy as regional bans on the sale of foods containing trans fats will continue.

Biofuels will be included in the Farm Bill. For the food industry, biofuels will have an impact on the price of food, as the food crops become sources of the biofuels.

Contamination of foods with non-food-approved GMOs may see increased interest in 2007. Improved detection methods may result in increased detection of such incidents.

Environmental Impact of products and new technologies will be more heavily considered by industry. There will be an increasing emphasis on full life cycle analysis when assessing the safety of foods and food packaging materials, along with the consideration of the entire "footprint" of the industry on the environment.

Food Science Education and Appreciation by the public, including students, will continue. Pop culture, like Alton Brown, the show Kitchen Crimes, and, unfortunately, highly publicized outbreaks, have attracted the attention of students and the general public. Combined with the materials IFT sent to high schools via the partnership with Discovery Education, students will now view food science as an attractive field of study, and the national emphasis on improvements in math, science, and technology testing will create an opportunity for food to be used in the classroom. With continued support, over the course of the next several years, there should be an increase in the number of students pursuing food science. In addition, press around obesity and health (including advertising of naturals and organics) will likely elicit increased interest among youth --- who are also more likely to be skeptical of "processed" foods.

A Single Food Agency bill may be proposed in 2007, but is unlikely to be successful unless it is “hidden” in a larger bill, such as the Farm Bill.

Cloning will become a hot issue. Although producer and consumer resistance is high and many question the need for such technology, there has been some indication that producers view the technology as promising. Labeling of cloned food will be an issue.

Food Labeling, specifically the nutrition facts panel, will undergo review in 2007 in an effort to improve consumer understanding. To combat obesity, more attention might be given to calories and serving sizes will be examined. Sodium chloride could also be addressed.

Media and the Coverage of Food, 2007
Jim Klapthor, IFT Media Relations Manager

The new year will likely usher in more of the same from news media regarding the manner in which it covers food-related topics, and how, and by whom. But whether the topics themselves change is up for discussion.

The trend among consumers of news media is to give more attention to health-related matters, self-health, and the easily recognizable link between food and the body’s well-being. Thus, general news media, as well as niche news outlets, are devoting more time, space, and resources to producing “news” in this area. Indications are that the pace will only increase during the coming year.

With a proclaimed obesity epidemic underway in the United States and little scientifically valid consensus on the root cause and—as importantly—the solution, there’s no visible indication that coverage of this topic will decrease. As sure as food companies will spend 2007 seeking new ways to sell more product and capture more of their marketplace, and as opponents of these capitalistic characteristics cry foul, and as evolving consumer consumption and sedentary trends are each revealed, there will be sufficient content to fill mass media’s news hole with compelling arguments and opinion. Nothing drives coverage like conflict.

Of course the methods by which news is covered will continue to be assessed by news organizations for their effectiveness to drive advertising dollars and return on investments. Newspaper budgets will likely continue to trim the print side to the benefit of the electronic side.

Note what Washington Post reporter Frank Ahrens wrote January 12 on the topic of newspaper companies selling their profitable television divisions, and the evolving nature of e-news gathering:

“Newspapers know that it is far cheaper to ask entry-level videographers to shoot digital video of a news event and post it on a Web site than to pay a TV reporter, video photographer and producer to create a three-minute news report for television,” he wrote. “Many newspapers, including The Post, are training their reporters to shoot video with their stories. Some reporters carry video cameras and shoot video to accompany their articles when they appear on their newspaper's Web site.”

At times, it’s those videos that are made accessible for convenient review anytime and anywhere via news site podcasts. What form this podcast-craze of 2006 will take in 2007 is probably as nebulous as past predictions of the importance and lifespan of blogs, webcasts, Really Simple Syndication feeds, and other information methods and tools.

Whether the continued conversion of analog broadcast signals to digital, and the production and distribution of digital receivers to consumers, will allow for more news content to be delivered to an already saturated public could prove exciting to follow. There’s little that’s less expensive to mega-sized communication companies than re-delivering a product that was aired or was published even moments earlier elsewhere. This digital conversion and the other Internet-based news delivery systems have extended the coverage of news across platforms, and there are no signs of contraction. Of course, extreme portability of handheld e-devices and the customization of news information by the user should be expected to further develop and fragment the public news consumer.

Natural sciences as applied at the super-small scale, which news media and others promptly and quite possibly incorrectly generalize simply as “nanotechnology” for the ease at which they believe it to be understood by the public, can be expected to have some influence on food-related coverage even though the consumer electronics business sector dominates public interest on the subject. The more that food companies wish to talk externally about their developments in this area, and the more products they intend to roll out in this segment of the market, the more likely this nature of food science will be featured by journalists—well or poorly, depending upon the perspective of those making the news and those influenced by it.

If the past is merely prelude to the future, expect more freelance and non-traditional writers and broadcasters to impact the amount of content that makes it into news outlets’ product. Similarly, expect more horizontally organized content-sharing agreements, even those entered by vertically-organized communication companies. It all means that news coverage will reach an even larger number and wider range of outlets, with the potential of reaching larger audiences regardless of niche.

Each trend will make it more likely in 2007 that media relations professionals will have an increasingly demanding responsibility to establish working relationships with this ever-expanding journalistic pool, while at the same time spending more effort tracking down errors made by news outlets that were ultimately re-published one day, or one week, or one month or more later in other news outlets—news outlets that take no responsibility for the content provided by another. This is already a daunting task that should not be expected to wane.

Bird flu coverage? Until mass carcasses appear in a major news market, this topic has cooled among consumers of news.

Mad cow? See aforementioned bird flu.

Cloned animals for food? Unless a major food company steps forward to talk about a market it’s identified and is supplying with meat derived by this method, this will be a one-sided discussion that tires quickly among responsible editorial staffs.

With an FDA hearing on the matter scheduled soon, it’s possible that dietary supplements will get equal or greater billing early in 2007 than functional food health claims got near the end of 2006.

Food protection and defense should not expect to get due coverage unless crisis preparations are unexpectedly needed, compliments of a nefarious person or group of people. Count on IFT and its experts to be ready to respond to news media in the unfortunate event that its extensive efforts in this area are necessary.

A single food agency? Opposing parties in control of the Executive and Legislative branches on Capitol Hill will likely delay any major change of this variety, though the occasional cry by influential leaders may gain ink and air-time. Another foodborne illness outbreak of the size and scope of California Central Valley spinach will likely be necessary for that to occur. Whether that outbreak falls within a favorable news cycle to allow it significant coverage—because pathogens, their virulence, and the law of averages assures that illnesses will occur—remains to be seen.

All of this means that any organization involved in food and possibly covered by—or seeking to be covered by—news organizations would be wise to invest its energy into the refinement and delivery of its key messages. Food will make news in 2007. News media will deliver that news best. If any food organization wants those words to be their own, and not solely those of others—including and especially those who deliver misinformation or who twist facts to suit their purposes—then the time to prepare is, and has always been, now.

Healthful Foods Trends in 2007
Linda Milo Ohr, Nutraceuticals Editor, Food Technology

In 2007, health and wellness will still rank among the top consumer concerns. More specifically, consumers will look to functional foods and beverages to aid in areas such as weight management, heart health, anti-aging/cosmeceuticals, immunity, and digestive health. Because of this, the following ingredients, due to their reported benefits and innovative food science, will find increased presence in healthful foods and beverages:

Slow digesting carbohydrates for their role in weight management.
Omega-3 fatty acids for heart health and anti-aging.
Probiotics for immunity and digestive health.
Green tea for its role in weight management, immunity and cosmeceuticals.
Cinnamon for its role in blood sugar control.
Peptides for heart health, immunity, and weight management.
Whole grains for heart health, weight control, immunity, and digestive health.
Acai for its overall antioxidant properties and anti-aging and immunity.
Fiber for its role in weight management, heart health, immunity and digestive health

Lab Trends
Linda Leake, Laboratory Editor, Food Technology
with contribution from Claudia Boerner, Food Chemistry & Nutrition Supervisor, Microbac Laboratories, Inc.

Engineering the energy bar
Companies will be producing more energy bar-type products that involve engineering for good taste, increased protein, and decreased calories and carbohydrates. To that end, companies are experimenting with sugars and alcohols. They are also boosting such bars with nutrients using whey, casein, and vitamin and herbal supplements.

Salt and calorie reduction
New reduced-sodium products, mainly soups, have already hit the market. Unlike previous iterations of reduced-sodium items, which all but disappeared from the market because of their bland taste, the new products boast much more flavor due to masterful use of spices. Calorie-reduced foods will continue to challenge reformulators, as the calorie content for foods is examined by even restaurant patrons. As of March 1, 2007, the state of New York will require restaurants to make calorie information available to the customer prior to ordering, if the information is already available online or in a brochure.

Chocolate trends
Chocolate, especially dark chocolate, is becoming the new “health” food. The darker the chocolate, the more cacao bean it has, and the higher the antioxidant content. Chocolates with a lesser amount of cacao bean are being boosted with antioxidants with the addition of dried fruits such as blueberries and cranberries.

Inspections growing
In response to the recent outbreaks of food borne illness, grocery stores and restaurants are increasingly concerned about monitoring surface hygiene and preventing bacterial contamination. To meet that need, some independent laboratories are offering more voluntary sanitation inspection programs to restaurants, grocery stores, and other food and food service facilities as a complement to required local and state health inspections.

Processing & Packaging
J. Peter Clark, Processing Editor, Food Technology
Aaron Brody, Packaging Editor, Food Technology, with contributions by IFT staff

Processing
Recent food safety incidents and trends in organics and natural foods may increase use of certain processing technologies.

Irradiation
Irradiation of produce may become a viable solution to the increasing incidents of contamination. There are few other feasible means of treatment, especially for contamination through water, which is not removed by surface washing.

Non-thermal processes
Continued research on and application of non-thermal processes, such as high hydrostatic pressure with mild heat treatment and pulsed electric fields for production of fresh-tasting juices and purees.

Organic supply and development
Continued growth in organic foods beyond dairy, produce, and meats means continued development of organic and natural ingredients, including herbal extracts, juice concentrates, processed vegetables, and functional ingredients. Lack of supply has been a limitation, but more sources should be coming into production. Attention by Wal-Mart, even if a mixed blessing, will create demand.

Packaging
And whether we concur or not with the science, the following will generate headline interest in 2007 on food packaging:

Sustainability
In 2005, the Sustainable Packaging Coalition was formed from consumer product companies and packaging materials manufacturers. This Coalition has issued principles toward the creation of a definition of "sustainable packaging."

The principles say that sustainable packaging: Is beneficial, safe and healthy for individuals and communities throughout its life cycle; Meets market criteria for performance and cost; Is sourced, manufactured, transported, and recycled using renewable energy; Maximizes the use of renewable or recycled source materials; Is manufactured using clean production technologies and best practices; Is made from materials healthy in all probable end-of-life scenarios; Is physically designed to optimize materials and energy; Is effectively recovered and utilized in biological and/or industrial cradle to cradle cycles.

For more information, see www.sustainablepackaging.org.

Overt competition among plastics and glass
In the battle for market share, expect the manufacturers of these two packaging materials to be more explicit in touting the advantages of each. The battleground of advantages will include recyclability, convenience, product protection, and, of course, costs.

Issues of plastic "toxicity"
Since the use of plastic materials in food packaging is widespread, consumer concerns about the possible toxicity of the materials also surface. The slightest migration of compounds from plastic packaging to foods can now be detected by sophisticated analytical techniques. The many studies that have been made on the safety of plastic food packaging materials have always given a reassuring picture.

Energy conservation in packaging
Rising oil prices have also taken their toll on the production of packaging materials, so expect an ever-increasing emphasis on energy conservation. Packaging costs can be the second largest expense for companies after their raw food material costs.

Offshore converting and its issues
Global competition from lower-cost manufacturers, primarily in Asia, is of concern to packaging manufacturers. Offshore converting is of particular concern to makers of commodity films, who are also suffering from imports of converted polyethylene retail bags.

Package cost reduction to meet the Wal-Mart initiative
This initiative, scheduled to begin in 2008, is expected to reduce overall packaging by 5%. When you are one of the largest retailers in the world, consumer product companies take notice of your packaging initiatives.

On November 1, 2006, Wal-Mart introduced a packaging scorecard to more than 2,000 private label suppliers. On February 1, 2007, tools and processes will be made available to all of the company's global suppliers. For 12 months, these suppliers will learn and share results within this process. And beginning in 2008, Wal-Mart will measure and recognize the entire worldwide supply base for using less packaging, utilizing more effective materials in packaging, and sourcing these materials more efficiently through a packaging scorecard.

Nanocomposites
Nanotechnology—actually nanotechnologies—for packaging will grow from a $66 million business in 2003 to $360 million by 2008, an astonishing 40% annual increase, if Graham Moore and his colleagues at the Packaging Industries Research Association (PIRA, www.piranet.com) are correct.

Nanocomposite materials, consisting of particles in the size range of 10–9 meters, may provide the development of new packaging with better barrier properties and be environmentally friendlier.

Oxygen scavenging packaging
New technological developments in the area of oxygen-scavenging films will allow active packaging to continue to grow in market share.