Top Stories: EU passes mandatory nutrition labeling law; Five food trends for 2012 and beyond
December 20, 2011
HEADLINES
EU passes mandatory nutrition labeling law
Food companies have five years to implement the mandatory nutrition labeling rules of the European Union’s Food Information to Consumers Regulation published Nov. 22, 2011, said international policy experts EAS.
The regulation requires a mandatory declaration on the label of the “Big 7”—energy, fat, saturated fat, carbohydrates, sugars, protein, and salt—by Dec. 13, 2016. It also requires these to be expressed per 100 g/100 mL and, where appropriate, per portion. While most aspects of the regulation become applicable on Dec. 13, 2014, companies have been given an extended transition period until Dec. 13, 2016 to get in line with nutrition labeling requirements.
Other aspects of the regulation, with which companies must be compliant by the Dec. 13, 2014 deadline, include new rules on allergen labeling and legibility. The regulation introduces a minimum font size of 1.2 mm for all mandatory label information, and 0.9 mm for products whose packaging has a largest surface of less than 80 cm2.
Press release
Five food trends for 2012 and beyond
In a recently released report, Marian Salzman, CEO, Euro RSCG Worldwide PR, examines what’s on the horizon and presents more than 150 trends sighted in 32 categories. In the recent ePerspective post, Salzman shares the five food trends she sees on the horizon for the United States in 2012. According to Salzman, Americans may be finally accepting that we are what we eat and start walking the walk. This may account for the “fat phobia” trend that Salzman predicts will increase due to fat taxes being imposed around the world. Linked with this trend, Salzman sees healthy snacking growing in popularity. However, to counterbalance these trends, she expects Americans love of Southern cuisine—comfort food—to reign in 2012, along with the popularity of food trucks. See what else Salzman predicts on the food front for 2012 and share your own predictions by commenting on IFT’s ePerspective blog today!
Marian Salzman’s ePerspective
RESEARCH
Avocado seeds may provide natural food colorant
Avocado seeds are typically seen as waste by growers. But a new study in the Journal of Food Science found that crushing avocado seeds along with air generates an orange color that may be used as natural coloring for food products in the future.
Avocado seeds account for 16% of the weight of the avocado. The discovery of the natural orange colorant that the seeds yield represents a potential added value for avocado growers and companies that process avocado into oil or food products, like guacamole. While artificial colors are often easy to produce, stable, less expensive, and have better coloring properties than natural colorants, there has been an increased effort to discover new natural alternatives in order to keep up with consumer trends.
Further research is underway by the team of scientists from Pennsylvania State University who conducted this study to assess the potential colorant qualities of the avocado seed extract in model foods and to the potential biological (antioxidant and anticancer) activity of the extract.
Abstract
Gains predicted for aseptic packaging
A new report forecasts the future demand for aseptic packaging by product and market. According to “Aseptic Packaging to 2015,” demand for aseptic packaging is expected to significantly outpace the overall packaging industry and will exceed $5 billion in 2015. Growth in aseptic packaging, which is the process in which product and packaging are sterilized separately before being combined and sealed under sterilized conditions, will be driven in part by the storage advantages it represents for food and beverages. Gains will also be supported by growing interest in natural and minimally-processed food and beverage products, as the short heating time and lower temperature of aseptic processing minimizes loss of flavor and nutrients and offers extended shelf life without preservatives.
Gains in the beverage market will be helped by rising consumption of beverages such as protein drinks, iced coffee, and smoothies, all of which tend to use aseptic packaging. Other factors driving demand will include the growing popularity of value-added beverage offerings, such as milk-based coffee drinks, in quick-service restaurants and convenience stores and rising interest in aseptic packaging due to its shelf stability. This results in reduced energy use in shipping and storage as well as increased opportunities in vending machines, movie theaters, and other venues with limited refrigerated storage.
Prospects for aseptic cartons will be fueled by expanding liquid food and dairy beverage applications and favorable consumption trends in ready-to-drink nutraceutical and weight loss beverages. Other factors supporting growth will include improving aesthetics of cartons, a favorable environmental profile, the availability of cartons with closures, the quality perception of these containers, and greater openness to alternative packaging among younger consumers.
Press release
Coffee may lower endometrial cancer risk
A study published in Cancer Epidemiol, Biomarkers & Prevention shows that drinking at least four cups of coffee per day may lower the risk for endometrial cancer.
The researchers examined the link between drinking coffee and endometrial cancer risk using prospective data from the Nurses’ Health Study. The analysis included data from 67,470 women ages 34–59 in 1980. Cumulative average coffee intake was determined by questionnaire. During 26 years of follow-up, researchers documented 672 cases of endometrial cancer.
The researchers found that drinking fewer than four cups of coffee per day was not associated with a change in endometrial cancer risk compared with drinking one or less cups per day. However, drinking four or more cups of coffee per day was associated with a 25% relative risk reduction compared with consuming less than one cup daily. Drinking between two and three cups of coffee per day was linked with a 7% reduced risk, but the difference did not reach statistical significance.
The researchers concluded that “drinking of coffee, given its widespread consumption, might be an additional strategy to reduce endometrial cancer risk. However, addition of substantial sugar and cream to coffee could offset any potential benefits.”
Abstract
Eating fish may reduce risk of Alzheimer’s
A study presented at the annual meeting of the Radiological Society of North America shows that people who eat baked or broiled fish on a weekly basis may be improving their brain health and reducing their risk of developing mild cognitive impairment (MCI) and Alzheimer’s disease.
“This is the first study to establish a direct relationship between fish consumption, brain structure, and Alzheimer’s risk,” said Cyrus Raji, University of Pittsburgh Medical Center and the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine. “The results showed that people who consumed baked or broiled fish at least one time per week had better preservation of gray matter volume on MRI in brain areas at risk for Alzheimer’s disease.”
For the study, 260 cognitively normal individuals were selected from the Cardiovascular Health Study. Information on fish consumption was gathered using the National Cancer Institute Food Frequency Questionnaire. There were 163 patients who consumed fish on a weekly basis, and the majority ate fish one to four times per week. Each patient underwent 3-D volumetric MRI of the brain. Voxel-based morphometry, a brain mapping technique that measures gray matter volume, was used to model the relationship between weekly fish consumption at baseline and brain structure 10 years later. The data were then analyzed to determine if gray matter volume preservation associated with fish consumption reduced risk for Alzheimer’s disease. The study controlled for age, gender, education, race, obesity, physical activity, and the presence or absence of apolipoprotein E4 (ApoE4), a gene that increases the risk of developing Alzheimer’s. Gray matter volume is crucial to brain health. When it remains higher, brain health is being maintained. Decreases in gray matter volume indicate that brain cells are shrinking.
The findings showed that consumption of baked or broiled fish on a weekly basis was positively associated with gray matter volumes in several areas of the brain. Greater hippocampal, posterior cingulated, and orbital frontal cortex volumes in relation to fish consumption reduced the risk for five-year decline to MCI or Alzheimer’s by almost five-fold. The results also demonstrated increased levels of cognition in people who ate baked or broiled fish.
Eating fried fish, on the other hand, was not shown to increase brain volume or protect against cognitive decline.
Press release
Abstract
Antioxidants may lower women’s stroke risk
A study published in Stroke shows that diets rich in antioxidants from fruits, vegetables, and whole grains may lower stroke risk for women.
The study included 31,035 women, ages 49–83, without heart disease and 5,680 women with a history of heart disease. The women were followed for an average of 11.5 years (for the heart disease-free group) or almost 10 years (the heart disease group). During the follow-up, 1,322 strokes occurred in the heart disease-free group and 1,007 strokes occurred in the heart disease group.
The researchers then used dietary information to determine the women’s total antioxidant capacity (TAC), a measurement of the power of these compounds to cut down on disease-linked free radicals in cells. Cell damage caused by free radicals can lead to inflammation and damage and stiffening of blood vessels.
Among women with no history of heart disease, those with the highest levels of diet-based antioxidants had a 17% lower risk of stroke than those with the lowest levels. Benefits also extended to women who had already suffered heart disease. Among this group, women with higher levels of dietary antioxidant capacity had up to a 57% lower risk of hemorrhagic (bleeding) stroke compared to those with the lowest levels.
According to the researchers, fruits and vegetables contributed about 50% of antioxidant capacity in women with no history of heart disease who had the highest TAC. Other contributors included whole grains (18%), tea (16%), and chocolate (5%).
Abstract
Soy sauce may be used as salt substitute in food
A study published in the Journal of Sensory Studies shows that soy sauce can be used to reduce salt in foods. The researchers aimed to explore the use of soy sauce to reduce salt intake in daily food preparation by replacing all or some added salt with naturally brewed soy sauce without change in consumer acceptance. Three types of foods were investigated: salad dressing, tomato soup, and stir-fried pork. A two-alternative forced choice test between a salt standard and a variety of soy sauce samples was used to establish the exchange rate, giving the amount of soy sauce needed to replace added salt with the same taste intensity.
In a separate session, consumers were asked to evaluate the pleasantness and several sensory attributes of another five varieties of the food samples based on the proportion of salt and soy sauce added. The results showed that it is possible to reduce added salt by 33–50% in the foods studied when soy sauce is used to replace added salt during food preparation. Percentage of salt reduction achievable may be higher in a population with prior exposure to soy sauce in their diet. The method can be used by food industries to produce reduced salt products or by consumers at home.
Abstract
NUTRITION
Europeans lack motivation, attention to make healthy food choices
Despite good understanding and prevalence of nutrition information on food labels in Europe, a lack of motivation and attention of consumers prevents labels from impacting positively on food choices. These are the final results from the European Union FLABEL project (Food Labeling to Advance Better Education for Life). The project provides research on consumer behavior and nutrition labels, and will provide guidelines for research, industry, and policy-makers.
In an EU-wide nutrition labeling audit carried out in 84 retail stores, more than 37,000 products from five product categories (i.e., sweet biscuits, breakfast cereals, chilled pre-packed ready meals, carbonated soft drinks, and yogurts) were examined. FLABEL found that 85% of all products carried nutrition information on the back of the pack, and 48% on the front of the pack. The most widespread back-of-pack format was the tabular or linear listing of calorific value and nutrient composition at 84%; whereas nutrition claims and Guideline Daily Amounts (GDA) were the most prevalent forms of front-of-pack nutrition information, both averaging 25%.
When information was provided on key nutrients (i.e., fat, saturated fat, sugar, and salt) and energy, most consumers were able to correctly rank products according to healthiness. Additional information, such as health logos, GDA, or traffic lights, only marginally improved the accuracy of this ranking.
Consumers in the study said they preferred labels that provide complete information, but consumer liking and intention to use these labels did not translate into actual product choices. A big issue affecting the impact of nutrition labels on actual food purchases made by consumers was lack of attention to the nutrition information. FLABEL found that food packages held consumers’ visual attention for very short periods, with the average attention to elements of nutrition labels being between 25–100 milliseconds.
Motivation was a major factor affecting the impact of nutrition labels on the choices made by consumers. Klaus Grunert, FLABEL Scientific Advisor and Professor at Aarhus University in Denmark, explains that “when prompted, consumers were able to identify which products were healthier, but they did not use this information to choose which product they prefer. A lack of consumer motivation, therefore, is one factor standing in the way of healthy food choices resulting from nutrition labeling.”
Press release
Fruit, veggie consumption low among high schoolers
According to a report published in the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s (CDC) Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report, high school students may not be consuming enough fruits and vegetables. Current daily fruit and vegetable recommendations for adolescents who participate in less than 30 min of physical activity daily are 1.5 cups of fruit and 2.5 cups of vegetables for females and 2 cups of fruit and 3 cups of vegetables for males. However, recently published data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey 2003–2004 revealed that consumption was considerably below these levels.
To assess fruit and vegetable consumption among high school students, the CDC analyzed data from the 2010 National Youth Physical Activity and Nutrition Study (NYPANS). NYPANS includes a school-based survey conducted by CDC in 2010 to measure dietary and physical activity behaviors and behavioral determinants. The analysis reveals that, in 2010, the median number of times per day that high school students consumed fruits and vegetables was 1.2 for both. For vegetables, the median number of times per day was lower for non-Hispanic African American students (1.0) and Hispanic students (1.1) than non-Hispanic Caucasian students (1.4). Overall, 28.5% of high school students consumed fruit
The infrequent fruit and vegetable consumption by high school students highlights the need for effective strategies to increase consumption. Policy and environmental approaches to provide greater access to and availability of fruits and vegetables are among the strategies that schools and communities might choose to achieve this goal.
Report
New school nutrition rules may offer opportunities for food manufacturers
The new U.S. Dept. of Agriculture (USDA) standards regulating what foods are served to the nation’s schools will result in gaps not being filled, according to a new study by foodservice consultants Technomic Inc., in collaboration with Aurora Insights. The standards focus specifically on increasing emphasis on sodium and calorie reduction, and more whole grains. School foodservice directors are searching for better food options in these areas, while also considering the preferences of their very picky eaters.
“School foodservice directors have a very tough job. They have to meet these tougher standards, but in a way that will maintain reimbursable meal participation rates,” said Joe Pawlak, Technomic Vice President. “Today’s lower sodium and whole grain options are often rejected by students. Schools need manufacturers to innovate in these areas, offering more better-for-you foods that students will accept.”
In addition to the new regulations, the K-12 segment is challenged by increasing special diet requirements. “Reflecting the general population, diet homogeneity does not exist in school cafeterias,” said Sheri Petrich, President of Aurora Insights. “Foodservice directors plan multiple menus every day to meet special cultural and medical-related diets. Gluten-free diets are one of the fastest growing diets and one of the most challenging to menu.”
Press release
Consumers not meeting MyPlate dietary standards
The nutritionally-balanced quadrants of the USDA’s MyPlate, the graphic interpretation of the new federal dietary guidelines that depicts a healthful daily diet, looks very different than what’s actually on the plates of most Americans, according to The NPD Group, a market research company. NPD’s food and beverage market research finds that for the average consumer, only 2% of their days come close to resembling the USDA’s MyPlate.
Using NPD’s National Eating Trends (NET) research, which has continually tracked the eating and drinking habits of U.S. consumers for over 30 years, MyPlate days were calculated based on consumers who, on the same day, achieved at least 70% of the daily recommended intake for dairy, fruit, grains, proteins, and vegetables. For the average consumer, 2% of their days (about 7 days a year) come close to the USDA dietary guidelines; and when a MyPlate day is achieved, consumers are very likely to consume more than three meals a day.
“Clearly there is a need for consumers to change their eating behaviors,” said Darren Seifer, NPD Food and Beverage Industry Analyst who analyzed the NET information in comparison to the MyPlate guidelines. “With more than 65% of adults in NPD’s nationally representative consumer panel classified as either overweight or obese, the necessity behind change could not be more apparent.”
Press release
USDA invests $8.5 million to improve nutrition for vulnerable populations
U.S. Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack has announced that the U.S. Dept. of Agriculture (USDA) is investing more than $8.5 million to help six organizations develop improved food aid products under the Micronutrient-Fortified Food Aid Products Pilot Program. This program is funded by the McGovern-Dole International Food for Education and Child Nutrition (McGovern-Dole) Program, and recipients will focus their efforts over the next three years in Cambodia, Guatemala, Guinea-Bissau, Haiti, Mozambique, and Tanzania.
“These grants will fund the development of new food aid products that are tailored to the nutritional needs of a specific population,” said Vilsack. “Our efforts to support global food security are important to the many people around the world who do not have access to nutritious and safe food. Fresh approaches to food assistance are also critically important to the sustainable economic growth of these nations and the economic prosperity and national security of our own country.”
Under the pilot program, participants develop and field test food aid products for children, women, and infants. The products are nutritionally enhanced with vitamins or minerals to address the micronutrient deficiencies of a specific population or group. The products are developed in the United States using domestically grown commodities.
The first program award was issued in August 2010 to the International Partnership for Human Development, Inc., which continues to test its ready-to-use, supplementary dairy paste in Guinea-Bissau. Through the pilot program, the USDA hopes to identify new, more effective products to be distributed through the McGovern-Dole Program. McGovern-Dole participants either use or sell the donated U.S. commodities in recipient countries to help support education, child development, and food security in low-income, food deficit countries that are committed to universal education.
Press release
NEW RETAIL PRODUCTS
Sabra introduces Season’s Finest hummus
Sabra Dipping Co. has released its first ever limitededition hummus for the holiday season. The rosemary, olive oil, and sea salt flavor of Season’s Finest hummus has the taste of Sabra’s Classic hummus with a special festive touch.
Featuring a specially designed metallic foil packaging, Season’s Finest hummus comes table-ready from the grocery store. The hummus can be found in the 17-oz size at grocery stores in the Pacific Northwest, New England, and New York metro area, and in the 25-oz size at Sam’s Clubs throughout the United States through early January. All varieties of Sabra hummus are glutenfree and certified kosher.
Press release
Danone debuts new drink in India
According to the Business Standard, French Group Danone has introduced a new water-based restoration drink B’lue in India. Danone has formed a joint venture with Mumbai-based Narang Beverages for the manufacturing and marketing of the drink. It will be introduced in two fruit flavors—Apple and Guava—and is available in a 500-mL bottle. The beverage does not contain any caffeine, colorings, preservatives, or carbonation.
Business Standard article
BeBevCo expands product line in relaxation product category
Bebida Beverage Co. (BeBevCo), a developer, manufacturer, and marketer of relaxation and energy drinks, has announced it is expanding its product line. January 2012 will see the addition of the first production of Relax 5—a 2-oz relaxation shot. Relax 5 will have an orange flavor with a supplement blend that includes melatonin.
Press release
POM Wonderful launches Pom Poms fresh arils
POM Wonderful has launched of Pom Poms, a convenient, ready-to-eat package of arils from California-grown Wonderful variety pomegranates available throughout the United States in the fruit section of most major grocery stores now through February.
Pom Poms are available in two sizes: a 4.3-oz size that includes its own spoon for easier snacking and a larger 8-oz size ideal for the whole family to enjoy any time of day. The introduction of Pom Poms provides easy access to the fruit while expanding pomegranates to a wider market of consumers.
Press release
COMPANY NEWS
BASF names North American distributors for human nutrition business
BASF Corp. has announced the appointment of two distributors to serve its human nutrition customers in North America. Effective Jan. 1, 2012, Brenntag Specialties Inc. and Horn Co. will be part of BASF’s human nutrition distribution network.
“We chose two companies with a long history of specialized industry expertise and a proven track record with numerous other BASF business groups,” said Frank Bergonzi, Director of Corporate Distribution, North America, BASF Corp. “Brenntag Specialties will serve customers in Canada and the Eastern United States. Customers in the Western states will work now with Horn Co.”
Brenntag Specialties is a global market leader in full-line chemical distribution. Its sales and marketing teams are supported by six regional customer service centers, 17 warehouses across the United States and Canada, technical service, regulatory, and analytical laboratories. Horn Co. is a North American distributor of specialty ingredients, raw materials, and chemicals for use in a wide variety of industries. These encompass nutraceuticals, cosmetics, personal care products, food ingredients, cleaning products and animal wellness products, coatings, composites, building materials, elastomers, and adhesives.
BASF
Brynwood Partners acquires the Kretschmer brand, facility from Quaker Oats
Brynwood Partners VI L.P. has announced that its newly-formed portfolio company, Sun Country Foods Inc., has acquired the Kretschmer wheat germ brand and manufacturing facility from The Quaker Oats Co. Sun Country Foods purchased the rights to the Kretschmer brand in the United States, Canada, and Puerto Rico. Additionally, Sun Country Foods acquired the Sun Country trademark. Terms and conditions of the transaction were not disclosed.
Sun Country Foods will be headquartered in Boston, Mass., with its manufacturing facility to continue to be located in Manhattan, Kan. The company intends to retain existing employees to support plant productions. Kretschmer is the largest wheat germ brand in the United States.
“We are pleased to announce the acquisition of the Kretschmer wheat germ brand and its manufacturing facility from Quaker Oats,” said Henk Hartong III, Chairman, Sun Country Foods and Senior Managing Partner, Brynwood VI. “Kretschmer is a well-known brand with excellent nutrition and wellness attributes. We intend to grow the Kretschmer brand organically and will seek strategic add-on acquisitions to grow the Sun Country Foods platform.”
Press release
GLG Life Tech to supply IFF with rebaudioside C
GLG Life Tech Corp. has signed a renewable five-year product supply agreement with International Flavors & Fragrances Inc. for high-purity rebaudioside C extracts. IFF is a leader in the creation of flavors and fragrances used in a wide variety of consumer products and packaged goods. The signing of the exclusive product supply agreement by GLG and IFF jointly leverages each company’s strengths to pursue exploration and commercialization of reb C, one of the 11 primary glycosides in the stevia leaf. Reb C has demonstrated its proficiency as a flavor modulator in food and beverage formulations and is expected to provide an exciting market opportunity for the companies.
“Our leading capabilities in the separation of steviol glycosides, production quality, and scale, coupled with IFF’s global strengths in innovative and advanced flavor systems for high purity reb C, make this an exciting global opportunity for GLG. We are pleased to be working with International Flavors & Fragrances to help develop the market for high purity reb C,” said Luke Zhang, GLG Chairman and CEO.
Press release
CHS acquires soy protein firm Solbar
CHS Inc. has signed an agreement with Solbar Industries Ltd., a leader in specialty soy proteins and soy isoflavones, to acquire 100% of the shares of Solbar. The purchase price reflects an equity value of approximately $133 million. Provided all conditions are met, the parties anticipate closing on the CHS acquisition of Solbar in the first quarter of calendar 2012.
Solbar provides soy protein ingredients to manufacturers in the meat, vegetarian, beverage, bars and crisps, confectionary, bakery, and pharmaceutical manufacturing markets. Solbar corporate offices are in Ashdod, Israel, with manufacturing and logistics facilities in Ashdod and Ashkelon, Israel; South Sioux City, Neb.; and Ningbo, China; and a sales office in Oakdale, Minn. CHS supplies energy, crop nutrients, grain, livestock feed, food, and food ingredients, along with business solutions including insurance, financial, and risk management services.
Press release
Fiberstar, Gum Technology partner to produce texturizers
Fiberstar Inc. and Gum Technology have announced a new partnership, creating a new line of texturizing ingredients. Bringing the moisture management of Fiberstar’s Citri-Fi, together with functional hydrocolloid-based stabilizer blends from Gum Technology, Hydro-Fi presents a new generation of texturizers for baked goods, frozen desserts, meat products, and sauces.
Designed to provide innovative, high performance solutions for specific food formulation challenges, the new Hydro-Fi ingredient range also offers cost reductions and performance benefits for manufacturers, including increased moisture retention, extended shelf life, and improved yield and texture. The Hydro-Fi portfolio currently comprises: Hydro-Fi CXA-0823 for partial egg replacement in cakes; Hydro-Fi TGC-1100 for decreased ice crystallization and improved taste in reduced fat ice cream and sorbets; Hydro-Fi CXA-10024 for improved emulsification and cling of sauces; and Hydro-Fi CCX-1028 for enhanced yield in meat products.
Fiberstar
General Mills expands open innovation program with G-WIN Digital
General Mills is expanding its successful General Mills Worldwide Innovation Network (G-WIN) open innovation program to include emerging digital marketing technologies with the launch of G-WIN Digital. Through G-WIN Digital, the company seeks to connect with partners who have digital marketing technologies focusing on video, social, mobile, and gaming.
“From the Betty Crocker radio programs in the 1920s, to sponsoring the first televised commercial sports broadcast in 1939, to the Betty Crocker iPad app today, General Mills has a rich history of using emerging technology to develop relationships with consumers,” said Mark Addicks, General Mills Senior Vice President and Chief Marketing Officer. “Today, digital marketing innovation is essential for us to connect and engage with consumers when and where they seek inspiration.”
G-WIN Digital leverages the benefits of open innovation to discover, pilot, and share emerging digital marketing technologies with General Mills’ portfolio of iconic brands. An example of this approach is the Shazam-enabled Pillsbury Crescents “Holiday Ideas Made Easy” TV commercial, which debuted nationally Dec. 6. When consumers use Shazam to tag the Pillsbury Crescents commercial, they receive an interactive tag result on their mobile device that includes Pillsbury holiday recipe ideas and how-to videos, as well as links to Pillsbury.com, the Pillsbury Facebook page, and the Pillsbury Twitter account.
Prospective partners with emerging digital technologies can contact General Mills online by visiting www.GWINDigital.com. Submissions are evaluated according to several criteria, including application for General Mills brands, uniqueness, and proof of concept.
Press release
IFT & MEETING NEWS
Food Science & Innovation conference
This inaugural event, taking place Feb. 27–29, 2012, and brought to you by IFT & ALACCTA, is designed for the region’s food professionals to engage in discussion around the latest research, scientific perspectives, and concerns in the global food industry. Through presentations and dialogue with food science professionals, participants will learn how the Food Safety Modernization Act will impact global trade, get the latest information on issues in the U.S., Europe, and Latin America, hear industry leaders’ perspectives on issues impacting global trade, and more. Register today.
Short course: Sensory Evaluation: Current Developments and Applications
Through this two-day instructor-led short course, taking place March 26–27, 2012, just before Wellness 12, participants will gather the tools needed to manage resources and information to meet product development deadlines. Professionals in product development, R&D, and sensory science roles will learn current sensory analysis procedures, understand qualitative and quantitative methods, identify industry recommended practices for qualifying subjects for sensory analytical tests, and more. Register today for greatest savings.
Wellness 12
Wellness 12, taking place March 28–29, 2012, offers professionals involved in bringing healthy foods to market with the latest advances in the healthful foods arena, and the practical knowledge to apply these advances to their own product development initiatives. “Weight Management,” one of three timely tracks, offers sessions such as: Changing the Food Marketing Environment Through Policy and Standards; Achieving Wellness through Behavior Innovation; and Health Insurance Wellness Programs: Opportunities for the Food Industry. Check out the agenda with additional tracks and sessions, before registering today.