Ingredients get ‘gutsy’

According to an International Food Information Council study, consumers place fiber sixth on their lists of the Top 10 functional foods, says Erin Inventor, marketing research manager for Tate & Lyle, Sycamore, Ill. Recent research by Tate & Lyle also found that 47 percent of Americans say they need to consume more fiber, and more than two-thirds understand that fiber helps maintain healthy digestion and generally supports good health, she adds.

CHILLING OUT
Through a strategic alliance with PepsiCo's Tropicana brand, Ocean Spray Cranberries Inc. developed new Ocean Spray Premium Cranberry and Blueberry juices for the refrigerated section. An 8-ounce serving of each juice provides a full day’s supply of vitamin C with no artifi cial fl avors, colors or preservatives, the company says. The juices are available in 59-ounce carafes for approximately $3.99.

Meat analogs used to offer one choice: Either you suffered, or the animal did. Today, processors are artisans at creating meat, poultry and seafood substitutes so good they cluck, moo and…whatever it is fish do.

ith more consumers looking to increase natural elements in their diets, the market for nuts and seeds is rife with potential. Then consider emerging science - linking consumption of certain nuts to health maintenance - and there clearly are growth opportunities for new products incorporating seeds and nuts.