Articles Tagged with ''clean label''

Originally written and performed as a Christmas song, “Fruitcake” extols the virtues of cinnamon by proclaiming, “Cinnamon, cinnamon, don’t forget the cinnamon. Cloves and spice will make it nice, but don’t forget the cinnamon.” In addition to being a popular baking ingredient, cinnamon also is resonating as a popular flavor within more beverages, experts note.

Whenever consumers make Jell-O, thicken gravy or add corn starch to a pie filling, they knowingly or unknowingly are using hydrocolloids to thicken their products and give them a desired consistency. As health-and-wellness trends impact new product development, beverage formulators increasingly are using these ingredients to give consumers the clean label, nutrient-enriched beverages they seek, experts say.

Although the U.S. Dietary Guidelines encourage Americans to eat more fruit, more than half are traditional options, such as bananas, apples, strawberries and oranges. Yet, as the beverage landscape has gotten more complex and exotic fruits have become more mainstream, consumers are experimenting with exotic fruits, including guaraná, lychee, dragon fruit, tamarind, pomegranate and mango for their exotic appeal, natural sweetness and enhanced, functional capabilities, according to ingredient suppliers.

In response to the latest clean label market trends, TIC Gums has developed blends using the newest gellan technologies. Recent products developed for ready-to-drink (RTD) beverage applications target texture, improve stability and provide cost-in-use savings while adhering to label restrictions, the company says.

When the U.S. 2015-2020 Dietary Guidelines were released earlier this year, one of the key recommendations for a healthy eating pattern stated that individuals should consume less than 10 percent of calories a day from added sugars.

As Dorothy told audiences, “There’s no place like home.” Aside from being a memorable movie quote, this notion has taken on a deeper meaning in the food and beverage industries as local-buying trends and farmers markets are being celebrated by more and more consumers.

At an annual wellness appointment, most doctors will preach about living a healthy lifestyle to help prevent the development of illnesses. As more consumers embrace this proactive approach, beverage-makers are seeking ingredients that can support this health-and-wellness trend.

The clean-eating trend has inspired a back-to-basics approach in product development and is an overarching theme in The Netherlands-based Innova Market Insights' Top Ten Trends list for 2016. New global products tracked with an "organic" claim have risen from 6.3 percent in the first half of 2013 to 9.5 percent in the first half of 2015, the market research firm says. A surge in "free from" launches and "flexitarian" options also has been reported. A live webinar at 10 a.m. EDT on Nov. 24 will provide an overview of all the key trends, it adds.

When formulating beverages, it’s important to consider that color not only contributes to product attractiveness, but can influence consumers’ purchasing decisions as they scan the aisles for products with “clean labels” and more “natural” ingredients.

Obesity rates have more than doubled in adults and children since the 1970s, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Approximately 78.6 million adults are overweight or obese, with 12.7 million children and adolescents in the same category.