McCormick releases its 2013 forecast; FDA proposes food safety rules; Process improves puffed rice nutrition

McCormick releases its 2013 forecast
Finding an ingredient’s hidden potential, exploring global cuisines, and embracing indulgence are just some of the emerging trends that will drive flavor innovation and food product development, according to the McCormick Flavor Forecast ® 2013 report from McCormick & Co.

The report, now in its thirteenth year, also presents 10 flavor combinations to illustrate the five trends cited by a team of McCormick chefs, sensory scientists, dietitians, trend analysts, marketing experts, and food technologists from around the world.

Using ingredients to create a sense of indulgence (bitter chocolate, sweet basil, and passion fruit) or to enjoy a momentary escape (black rum, charred orange, and allspice) illustrate the trend McCormick calls “No Apologies Necessary.” For the trend “Personally Handcrafted,” the report shows how using ingredient combinations (cider, sage, and molasses, and smoked tomato, rosemary, chile pepper, and sweet onion) harken back to a rustic, handcrafted way of cooking. Global ingredients go beyond their traditional uses in ethnic cuisines in a trend called “Global My Way,” with combinations like Japanese katsu and oregano and anise and cajeta. “Don’t be surprised if in the next few years Japanese katsu, a tangy cross between BBQ and steak sauce, and cajeta, a Mexican caramel, gain the broad appeal that once-regional tastes like Asian hot chili sauce have achieved,” said Kevan Vetter, Executive Chef, McCormick.

Health and wellness issues are on the minds of many consumers, and McCormick explained how these consumers can create healthful ingredient combinations (faro grain, blackberry, and clove, and broccoli and dukkah) that address their health concerns through “Empowered Eating.” The final trend McCormick notes is “Hidden Potential,” which focuses on uncovering the fullest flavors from every last part of the ingredient (hearty meat cuts, plantain, and stick cinnamon, and artichoke, paprika, and hazelnut).

FDA proposes food safety rules
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has issued for public comment two proposed rules that relate to food safety.

The proposed rules on preventive controls for human food and on standards for produce safety are important to the preventive food safety approach formed by the 2011 FDA Food Safety Modernization Act. For information about the proposed rules and how to submit comments, visit the FDA website at www.fda.gov/Food/FoodSafety/FSMA.

Process improves puffed rice nutrition
Puffed rice with more nutrients can help increase the nutritional profile of breakfast cereals, snack foods, nutrient bars, and other products thanks to a new production process developed by researchers at Cornell University.

Syed S.H. Rizvi and his colleagues used supercritical fluid extrusion to produce the puffed rice, a process that helped to preserve heat-sensitive nutrients in the rice. The supercritical carbon dioxide used as a viscosity-lowering plasticizer and blowing agent produced acceptable puffed rice samples with eight times more dietary fiber and three times more protein than commercial puffed rice along with minerals and other nutrients at a lower temperature (about 100°C). Steam-based extrusion currently used to produce puffed rice works at higher temperatures (130–180°C) that damage heat-sensitive nutrients.

The study, “Micronutrient and Protein-fortified Whole Grain Puffed Rice Made by Supercritical Fluid Extrusion,” was published in the Nov. 7, 2012, issue of Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry.

Exploring bioactive compound production
As the food industry develops more foods that contain natural bioactive compounds, the need to advance current methods and develop new methods to improve the screening and production of these compounds becomes important to meet the growing demand. Researchers in Mexico examined these technologies, especially ones that may help to increase the production of natural bioactive compounds, in a newly published review study.

The study, “Technologies for Extraction and Production of Bioactive Compounds to be Used as Nutraceuticals and Food Ingredients: An Overview,” appeared in the January 2013 issue of Comprehensive Reviews in Food Science and Food Safety.

More consumers wake up to breakfast
More U.S. consumers are eating breakfast, and many of them are choosing healthier alternatives, according to market research firm Mintel.

The breakfast foods category had a 20% increase in dollar sales from $10 billion in 2007 to $12 billion in 2011. Mintel analysts predict the market will grow by about 26% from 2012 to 2017 to reach $15.7 billion. The research shows that more than two-thirds (69%) of survey respondents who eat breakfast foods during the week report that “low-cholesterol” or “heart-healthy” claims are important when selecting food for breakfast. Additionally, 65% of respondents think that “low-fat” and “high-fiber” claims are significant. The respondents enjoy pancakes (45%), frozen waffles (40%), and packaged sausages (33%) for breakfast, and according to Mintel, these are the categories in which the respondents want claims about healthfulness.

Even though the majority (87%) of respondents eat breakfast at home during the week, 53% of respondents said that breakfast foods served at restaurants taste better than breakfast foods available in a grocery store. Almost half (48%) of respondents want more restaurant-style options in grocery stores.

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Companies adjust marketing efforts
A new report from the Federal Trade Commission says that food companies spent $1.79 billion on marketing to children ages 2–17 in 2009, down from $2.1 billion in 2006. The data were presented in A Review of Food Marketing to Children and Adolescents: Follow-Up Report.

While much of the decrease is attributed to less spending on television advertising, spending on online, mobile, and viral marketing increased by 50%. Food companies are also using integrated marketing campaigns that combine traditional media, internet, digital marketing, packaging, and other marketing techniques to reach children.

The report analyzed the nutritional profiles of foods marketed to children. It concluded that industry self-regulation produced modest nutritional improvements in specific food categories like cereals, drinks, and fast food kids’ meals.

The follow-up study, which is available at www.ftc.gov, compares the 2006 data presented in the first report to the 2009 data.

Resveratrol’s use diversifies
Resveratrol, the antioxidant naturally found in peanuts, mulberries, grapes, and most famously, red wine, has for years been used as a supplement in the dietetic markets. Now more mainstream foods and beverages include the ingredient, reported Innova Market Insights.

The numbers of global launches of products containing resveratrol have risen from 2000 to 2010, with a jump in 2009 and 2010 when more products other than supplements were introduced, according to the company. The increase during these two years was especially great in the United States, where a number of branded resveratrol ingredient blends were introduced. The growth did come to an end, though, with the number of launches of resveratrol products decreasing in 2011 and remaining relatively unchanged in 2012.

There still were some interesting resveratrol-containing product launches in the U.S. during 2012, as noted by Innova Market Insights. These include Genesis Today’s Pomegranate & Berries with Resveratrol beverage, Genso’s Heart Juice, Republic of Tea’s Get Young No. 19, and Cheiron Holdings LLC’s Heart Strong chewing gum.

“There are higher levels of interest in the U.S. and perhaps the emergence of a similar trend in Europe,” said Lu Ann Williams, Research Manager at Innova Market Insights. “This comes in the wake of EU novel foods approval for Fluxome’s resveratrol through the substantial equivalence process in early 2012, clearing the way for its use as an ingredient.”

What’s new with food companies

• ADM Milling, a wholly owned subsidiary of Archer Daniels Midland Co., is expanding its flour milling capacity at its wheat processing plant in Beech Grove, Ind.

• Alter Eco® has received Non-GMO Project™ verification for its entire product line.

• Biothera has named Ryusendo Co. as its exclusive distributor in Japan of Wellmune WGP ®.

• Cargill will build a canola refinery at its canola processing facility in Clavet, Saskatchewan.

• Didion Milling has earned a superior rating on an audit conducted by the American Institute of Baking.

• Frutarom Health USA is now using its HyperPure® technology at its production plant in North Bergen, N.J.

• Golden State Foods has acquired KanPak China.

• ROHA Food Colors has expanded its St. Louis, Mo., production plant for naturally derived colorings.

• Romer Labs has acquired the food safety and GMO businesses of Strategic Diagnostics.

• The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has approved the use of Z Trim Holding’s ingredients in meat applications.

Karen Nachay,
Associate Editor 
[email protected]