“Consumers are more focused on their health now than they ever have been, especially when it comes to immunity,” said Lynn Dornblaser, Director of Innovation & Insights at Mintel, during IFT’s “Time to Kick Start Healthy Eating” virtual meeting. Dornblaser explained that the COVID-19 pandemic underlined the need to optimize health, especially immunity. “Now is the time to address health while consumers have it top of mind,” she said. And it’s not just their own health consumers are concerned about; it’s the health of the planet as well. Consumers are looking for those holistic wellness stories from food and beverage manufacturers.
Consumers’ health priorities have shifted, with strengthening the immune system, managing stress, eating healthy, and improving sleep becoming more important. When asked how the pandemic has impacted their consumption of immune boosting foods, 47% of U.S. consumers responded that they regularly consume immune-boosting foods now, compared to only 27% before the pandemic. While Dornblaser predicts that the number will fall again as vaccinations ramp up and people look toward a new normal post-COVID, she thinks it the percentage of consumers looking for immune boosting foods will be at least as high as it was prior to COVID-19.
Kellogg’s Simply Fuel Peanut Butter Honey Almond Protein Balls contain 9 g of protein and one billion probiotics per serving to “deliver lasting energy and satisfying yumminess.”
Regrained's Honey Cinnamon SuperGrain+ Immunity Bar (right) contains turmeric, Manuka honey, and the company's SuperGrain+ flour, which is a great source of prebiotic fiber.
Ocean Spray's B1U I Need Immunity is a lemon chamomile infused functional water containing 22 mg of zinc and 128 mg of vitamin C.
Dornblaser also explained that immunity can be delivered in many ways to consumers, allowing for a flexible approach. Some products are touting their prebiotics and probiotics as ingredients to strengthen immune systems. For example, Kellogg’s Simply Fuel Peanut Butter Honey Almond Protein Balls contain 9 g of protein and one billion probiotics per serving to “deliver lasting energy and satisfying yumminess.” Known for upcycling spent grain from breweries, Regrained makes the claim that its SuperGrain+ flour is a great source of prebiotic fiber. Immunity is even a part of the branding of its Honey Cinnamon SuperGrain+ Immunity Bar, which is made with turmeric and Manuka honey. Beverages are also making immunity claims such as Ocean Spray's B1U I Need Immunity functional water, which is a lemon chamomile infused water containing 22 mg of zinc and 128 mg of vitamin C.
“We aren’t going to back to how it was before,” concluded Dornblaser. “We are going on to the next normal … Consumers will continue to think about healthy choices.” However, as she reminded the virtual event attendees, “keep in mind that healthy means a lot of different things to different people.” And, as always, the food and beverages must still deliver on deliciousness.
The editors at Food Technology magazine, published by the Institute of Food Technologists (IFT), have announced their predictions for the hottest food trends for 2022.
While canning is commonplace today, for that generation of food technologists it was a paradigmatic example of the power of science to change food for the better.
In October 2021, the FDA released new voluntary guidance on sodium reduction with the overarching goal of reducing consumption by 12% over the next two-and-a-half years.
What changes have occurred in the way Canadians perceive cannabis since it was legalized there in 2018? How do Canadian and U.S. consumers of cannabis and edibles compare?
This column offers information about developing sustainable food packaging and food packaging challenges and research opportunities.
This column offers information about the nutritional and environmental benefits of edible insects as a protein source, along with safety and legal considerations.
This column offers information about microbial safety research on preventing foodborne illness outbreaks associated with fresh produce, focusing on sanitation, plant-derived antimicrobial compounds, and the use of surrogate bacteria.
News about food science research, food companies, food regulations, and consumer/marketplace trends
IFT responds to scientific questions to be examined to support the development of the Dietary Guidelines for Americans. Specifically, “What is the relationship between consumption of dietary patterns with varying amounts of ultra-processed foods and growth, size, body composition, risk of overweight and obesity, and weight loss and maintenance?”
Discover what the team behind IFT’s Global Food Traceability Center is working on, including recent events, research projects, and advocacy efforts
In an effort to provide the science of food community with actionable information that can be used in their own DEI efforts, IFT shares a case study of its recent effort to increase accessibility and inclusivity in its scholarship program.
What's on the horizon for the global food system in 2022? IFT’s Science and Policy Initiatives team gives their predictions on five trends that are expected to take shape in the new year.
