Researchers at Loma Linda University who led the study said this is the first time the effect of flavonoids in dark chocolate has been studied in human subjects to determine how it can support cognitive, endocrine and cardiovascular health.

“For years, we have looked at the influence of dark chocolate on neurological functions from the standpoint of sugar content—the more sugar, the happier we are,” said Lee S. Berk, Ph.D., associate dean of research affairs, School of Allied Health Professions and a researcher in psychoneuroimmunology and food science from Loma Linda University. "This is the first time that we have looked at the impact of large amounts of cacao in doses as small as a regular-sized chocolate bar in humans over short or long periods of time, and are encouraged by the findings. These studies show us that the higher the concentration of cacao, the more positive the impact on cognition, memory, mood, immunity and other beneficial effects.”

For the pilot feasibility experimental trial, researchers examined the impact of 70% cacao chocolate consumption on human immune and dendritic cell gene expression, with focus on pro- and anti-inflammatory cytokines. Findings showed cacao consumption up-regulates multiple intracellular signaling pathways involved in T-cell activation, cellular immune response and genes involved in neural signaling and sensory perception - the latter potentially associated with the phenomena of brain hyperplasticity.

In a second study, researchers assessed the electroencephalography (EEG) response to consuming 48 g of dark chocolate (70% cacao) after 30 minutes and after 120 minutes on modulating brain frequencies 0-40 Hz, specifically beneficial gamma frequency (25-40 Hz). They found chocolate with 70% cacao enhances neuroplasticity for behavioral and brain health benefits.

In addition to taste and affordability of a finished product, consumers are weighing how companies source ingredients, manufacture and distribute their products, and brands embrace corporate social responsibility. Food Insider Journal tackled this topic last October, looking at CSR from a macro lens and then zooming in at the cocoa industry to learn how cocoa suppliers and confectionery brands are making CSR an important pillar in their business models and making progress toward a transparent global cocoa supply chain. (See related video).

The “2017 State of Sustainability in America” report from the Natural Marketing Institute (NMI) found nearly two-thirds of consumers are positively impacted by a company that supports a cause in which they believe, and they are more likely to purchase that product over another. Examples of successful causes that resonate with consumers include General Mills’ Box Tops for Education, Campbell’s Labels for Education, Procter & Gamble’s Children’s Safe Drinking Water Program and Heinz-Kraft Micronutrient Campaign.

This week, the Reputation Institute released its 2018 US RepTrak® 100 study of corporate reputations in the United States. The Reputation Institute has been measuring reputation for thousands of companies globally over the past 20 years. Based on more than 52,000 individual ratings of companies during the 1Q18, the survey quantified the emotional bond stakeholders have with more than 880 leading companies, and how those connections drive supportive behavior like the willingness to purchase a company’s products, recommend the brand, invest or even work for the company.

I am proud to four food and beverage companies recognized in the Top 10 of the RepTrak 100 list of America’s Most Reputable Companies. What’s more, Campbell’s was ranked No. 1 overall and scored No. 1 for governance and leadership and No. 2 in citizenship and products. The company was recognized for its leadership; ingredient transparency through initiatives like whatsinmyfood.com; investments in health and well-being; and the comprehensive integration of corporate responsibility into the business strategy. Rounding out the Top 10 were Nike (2), Bose (3), Barnes & Noble (4), Kellogg’s (5), Hershey’s (6), Hallmark (7), J.M. Smucker (8), Canon (9) and Amazon (10).

Six new companies entered the Top 10 this year, including Campbell’s, Nike, Bose, Kellogg’s, J.M. Smucker and Canon, and overall 36 new companies have entered the Top 100 in this past year. According to the survey, trends among successful companies demonstrate brand strength, increasingly founded on the delivery of a brand promise, yields higher reputation and greater support among stakeholders. The Top 10 companies—nine of which are U.S.-based—all embody traditional American values and the underlying characteristics of success, stability and growth. A more vocal CEO also benefits a company’s reputation, including key dimensions of Citizenship and Governance.

Need proof? Just look to Campbell’s CEO Denise Morrison who has guided the soup giant’s strategic reorganization to better position the company to capitalize on the rapidly changing food industry landscape, while more closely aligning the business with the company’s three growth strategies: optimize the value of the core; increase health and well-being food, beverages and snacks; and, accelerate distribution and new business models.

Morrison echoed this in her March 26 comments on the completion of Campbell’s $6 billion acquisition of Snyder’s-Lance. “Snyder’s-Lance represents a strategic and transformative acquisition for Campbell, creating a $10-billion company with nearly half of our annual net sales in the faster-growing snacks category,” she said. “The combination of Campbell and Snyder’s-Lance creates a unique, diversified snacking portfolio of differentiated brands and a large variety of better-for-you snacks for consumers. I am excited about the combination and confident that it will create significant shareholder value through both revenue growth and cost synergies.”

The RepTrak 100 survey findings indicate many companies are experiencing significant challenges. Macrotrends impacting corporate reputations in the United States have resulted in significant disruptions this year, with companies’ rankings changing by an average of 27 spots, revealing a significant erosion of trust and confidence in corporations and making earning stakeholder support more difficult.

“The underlying reputation disruption we are seeing in the U.S. is driven by a crisis of trust. In an era of tweet ranting, fake news, data privacy breaches and questioning of company ethics, the trust in big companies has eroded in the past year. Companies that are most trusted garner a stronger reputation,” said Stephen Hahn-Griffiths, Chief Reputation Office at Reputation Institute.

While Governance and Citizenship—especially on the merits of fairness, ethics, positive influence on society, and importance of products/services—have increased as reputation drivers in 2018 (collectively contributing to 51.9 percent of reputation), the relative importance of overall company performance have declined, with fewer companies perceived as embodying a sense of sincerity and genuinely caring, the absence of authenticity is fueling doubt among stakeholders. In a politically polarized environment increasingly centered around the credibility of information and authentic communication, we are seeing that corporate reputation and politics do mix, and can significantly impact corporate reputation.

A number of companies including Amazon, Apple and Facebook all experienced large drops on this year’s list. Amazon toppled from No. 2 to No. 10 in 2017. Amazon’s largest declines are in the three CSR dimensions: workplace, citizenship and governance. With last year's acquisition of Whole Foods Market, consumer brand love will certainly be something to watch as Amazon navigates the brick-and-mortar grocery waters. 

Of the thousands of new brands that hit retail shelves during 2017, 49 percent of the top-ranking brands hailed from small manufacturers—those earning less than $1 billion annually—and accounting for 26 percent of Pacesetter dollars.

The top 100 food and beverage New Product Pacesetters averaged $14.5 million year-one dollar sales, excluding Halo Top, which earned year-one sales of $342.2 million. All top 10 New Product Pacesetter brands were new market entrants, though many benefited from the equity their manufacturers already enjoy in the marketplace.

IRI singled out Millennials as key drivers for brand success because they are continuously on the lookout for new, exciting and unique experiences, which is pushing innovation into new territory. While frugal, Millennials will spend on things that matter to them. Of the 20 largest 2017 Pacesetter brands, 85 percent command a price premium compared to their respective category averages. PepsiCo’s LIFEWTR, for instance, sells at a significant premium compared to other convenience/still waters. The brand hit strong in the market as a purified water, pH-balanced with electrolytes added for taste. Millennials also are embracing wellness and self-care to ward off ailments. Campbell’s Well Yes! soup easily meets this demand because it features clean, simple and nutritious ingredients to make healthy eating quick and easy.

The top 10 food and beverage brands making the 2017 New Product Pacesetters list include:

1. Halo Top® $324.2 million
2. GOOD THiNS® $87 million
3. Dunkin’ Donuts® Iced Coffee $67.1 million
4. Nestlé® Splash™ $55.2 million
5. LIFEWTR™ $50.4 million
6. SMARTMADE™ by Smart Ones® $49.3 million
7. HERSHEY'S® Cookie Layer Crunch™ $47.7 million
8. Hillshire® Snacking $47.5 million
9. Well Yes!® $47.3 million
10. Cracker Barrel® Macaroni & Cheese $46.6 million

“Consumers are demanding products that are customized to their needs, and this type of targeted innovation continues to put small and niche companies on the New Product Pacesetter map,” said Susan Viamari, vice president of Thought Leadership for IRI. “Just five years ago, an estimated nine out of every 10 Pacesetters launched were extensions of existing brand lines. In 2017, 40 percent of food and beverage and 25 percent of non-food Pacesetters were brands entirely new to the CPG marketplace. This clearly demonstrates consumers’ willingness to try ‘unknown’ brands. Millennials, in particular, are more moved by experiences and solutions to their needs and less likely to purchase based solely on brand name.”

Overall, candy and gum accounted for 9 percent of food Pacesetter dollars. The largest launch in this area was Hershey’s Cookie Layer Crunch. In the dinner sector, the largest launch was SmartMade by Smart Ones, a nutritious frozen meal inspired by the quality ingredients and smart cooking techniques used in the home. Eighteen of the 76 food Pacesetters are breakfast solutions, which cater to consumers at both ends of the wellness spectrum by offering both indulgent flavor experiences, such as Kellogg’s Cinnamon Frosted Flakes (ranked 19th) and healthier, on-the-go options, like Jimmy Dean Delights Frittatas (ranked 23rd).

In the convenience store arena, median year-one sales across the top 10 IRI New Product Pacesetters were $31.7 million, demonstrating the power behind consumers’ ongoing quests for indulgent, on-the-go experiences.

Most of top 10 products in this channel in 2017 were beverages. And as seen among food and beverage and non-food Pacesetters, categories are starting to blend and blur more. For instance, Monster, which is known as an energy drink brand, launched Monster Mutant Super Soda, a carbonated soft drink. And carbonated beverage Mountain Dew Black Label developed packaging that looks very similar to energy drink cans. All the top 10 convenience-channel Pacesetters are pure indulgence products (except for bottled water), which reflects consumers’ ongoing desire for healthier-for-you indulgences.

The top 10 convenience store brands making the 2015 New Product Pacesetters list include:

1. Red Bull® Green Edition™ $110.7 million
2. LIFEWTR™ $107.6 million
3. Monster® Mutant™ Super Soda $42.3 million
4. HERSHEY'S® Cookie Layer Crunch™ $41 million
5. MTN DEW® PITCH BLACK® $38.6 million
6. Four Loko® Gold $34.7 million
7. MTN DEW® BLACK LABEL® $32.8 million
8. Sprite® Tropical Mix™ $32.5 million
9. KIT KAT® BIG KAT® $30.9 million
10. Pepsi® Cherry Vanilla $23.4 million

IRI also named 10 Rising Stars based on innovation that demonstrates the power of extravagance and indulgence that doesn’t derail nutritional goals:

• Gatorade Flow
• Hershey’s Gold
• Jimmy Dean Simple Scrambles
• Kinder Joy
• Lay's Poppables
• M&M’s Caramel
• Oui by Yoplait
• Ritz Crisp & Thins
• RXBAR
• Sunsweet Amazin

SupplySide East, the East Coast’s leading ingredients and supply-chain solutions event, gathered more than 3,500 global industry professionals from 39 countries together with 250 exhibitors showcasing the newest and most innovative ingredients, products and services. Now in its 20th year, the show returned to the Meadowlands Exposition Center in Secaucus, NJ, April 10-11, 2018. 

Produced by Informa Exhibitions, SupplySide East brought members of the industry together to provide an opportunity to identify top ingredients to fuel innovations, and facilitated networking in a tight-knit community setting to drive enhanced success. The two-day tradeshow featured a robust variety of exhibitors and networking opportunities to set attendees up for success in 2018.

”SupplySide East enabled top product developers, marketers, buyers and other leaders from the most innovative supplement, food, beverage and personal care brands to connect with the suppliers that help them bring these products to market,” said Jon Benninger, vice president of Informa’s Global Health & Nutrition Network. “It was a great two days of networking and business.”

“SupplySide East’s return to Secaucus was a success for us,” said Gregory Ris, vice president of sales for Indena USA Inc. “The high concentration of Pharma, Nutrition and cosmetic companies in the area made it convenient for companies to send multiple representatives. The show was well attended and we made a number of new contacts and generated new product leads.”

In addition to new ingredients and services, attendees found education opportunities at this year’s event. Two training courses presented with NSF International offered training around key GMP (good manufacturing practice) issues, while the SupplySide East Presentation Theater showcased industry professionals addressing science, trends and market data.

“Education is a key component of the SupplySide experience,” said Heather Granato, vice president of content for Informa’s Global Health & Nutrition Network. “This year’s combination of sponsored presentations and invited speakers offered SupplySide East attendees the opportunity to enjoy short talks focused on new ingredient launches, regulatory issues facing the industry and much more.” Granato and Steve Myers, senior editor of Natural Products INSIDER, share their insights on the top trends of SupplySide East in a new Healthy INSIDER podcast featured on the Natural Products Insider website.

The Presentation Theater also featured demonstrations of the new SupplySide Connect website, which launched this spring and features detailed information about the offerings of more than 1,200 suppliers. This free tool is designed to help manufacturers find ingredients, services and suppliers both on and off the show floor.

March’s Food Price Index averaged 172.8 points, 1.1% higher than in February and 0.7% above its value a year earlier. Declines in price quotations for sugar and most vegetable oils were more than offset by increases for maize, wheat and most dairy products.

The Cereal Price Index averaged 165.6 points in March, 2.7% higher than in February and as much as 12.1% above its value in March 2017. The Index has been climbing continuously in recent months, reflecting firmer international prices of nearly all major cereals.  In recent weeks, weather concerns, particularly prolonged dryness in the United States and cold wet conditions in parts of Europe, lifted wheat price quotations. The increase in maize prices proved even more pronounced, supported by deteriorating crop prospects, especially in Argentina, as well as continued robust world demand.

The Vegetable Oil Price Index averaged 156.8 points in March, falling marginally from February’s multi-month low. Modest price drops for soy, rape and sunflower oils were largely offset by higher prices of palm oil. Despite expectations of seasonal production gains, palm oil prices firmed in March on the back of robust international demand and consequent inventory drawdowns in Malaysia and Indonesia. The EU’s prospective resumption of imports of palm oil-based biodiesel from Indonesia and renewed strength in mineral oil prices also lent support to palm oil values.

The Dairy Price Index averaged 197.4 points in March, up 3.3% from February and slightly above its level in the corresponding period last year. International price quotations for butter, Whole Milk Powder (WMP) and cheese rose, while those of SMP declined, reversing the gains recorded in the two preceding months. Lower than anticipated milk production in New Zealand and continued strong global import demand led to higher butter, cheese and WMP prices, while continued pressure from global stocks and higher production pushed down SMP prices.

The Sugar Price Index averaged nearly 186 points in March, down 3.4% from February and as much as 27.5% below its level the same month last year. Sugar prices continued to fall because large export availabilities. A weaker Brazilian Real and relaxed export rules from India, allowing millers to sell overseas until end of the current season, were factors boosting sugar shipments from both countries and resulting in more subdued international price quotations.

The Meat Price Index averaged 169.8 points in March, almost unchanged from February. At this level, the index is 3% above the corresponding month last year but still almost 20% below the peak reached in August 2014. Price quotations for ovine meat increased, pig meat gained slightly, poultry meat remained stable, while those for bovine meat eased. Strong import demand, especially by China, strengthened ovine meat prices. Somewhat tight supplies in Europe underpinned a small increase in pig meat prices, while subdued demand and expectations for supplies from New Zealand to increase in the coming months weighed on bovine meat values. 

In an earlier phase of trial, the judge ruled companies hadn’t shown the threat from the chemical was insignificant, the news agency said, explaining the coffee industry had argued the chemical should be exempt from state law.

The court decision stemmed from a lawsuit filed in 2008 by the Council for Education and Research on Toxics, a non-profit in California, NPR’s The Two Way pointed out.

“While plaintiff offered evidence that consumption of coffee increases the risk of harm to the fetus, to infants, to children and to adults, defendants’ medical and epidemiology experts testified that they had no opinion on causation,” NPR quoted Superior Court Judge Elihu Berle. “Defendants failed to satisfy their burden of proving by a preponderance of evidence that consumption of coffee confers a benefit to human health.”

The National Coffee Association said roasted coffee naturally contains trace amounts of acrylamide, one of roughly 800 chemicals listed under California’s Proposition 65—officially known as the Safe Drinking Water and Toxic Enforcement Act of 1986.

“Coffee has been shown, over and over again, to be a healthy beverage,” said William (“Bill”) Murray, president and CEO of the National Coffee Association, in a statement. “This lawsuit has made a mockery of Prop 65, has confused consumers, and does nothing to improve public health.”

The lawsuit isn’t over, AP reported, because a third phase of the trial will determine civil penalties over a period of eight years.

The ruling means certified organic products may continue to contain carrageenan, a specialized category of hydrocolloids that originate from red seaweed (Rhodophycae) that is used as a thickening agent or emulsifier in ice creams, high-protein beverages, and other foods and beverages that require gelling or added viscosity.

USDA’s renewal of carrageenan as an acceptable organic ingredient was made despite NOSB’s 2016 10 to 3 vote to remove the controversial food additive carrageenan from the National List of Allowed and Prohibited Substances.

The safety of carrageenan has been a topic of much debate. Its compatibility with organic principles has been brought into question by organic advocates for years. Studies have raised significant concerns that carrageenan consumption may pose certain health risks, such as intestinal inflammation and inflammatory bowel disease

In making its decision, USDA considered the scientific evidence and stakeholder comments, ultimately reaffirming carrageenan’s safety and value as a food ingredient. In the Federal Register notice, USDA “found sufficient evidence in public comments to the NOSB that carrageenan continues to be necessary for handling agricultural products because of the unavailability of wholly natural substitutes.” The agency concluded renewal of carrageenan to the National List “will avoid potential disruptions to the organic industry and the public.”

In 2012, FDA rejected a petition filed by Joanne Tobacman, Ph.D., a physician-scientist at the University of Illinois College of Medicine, asking the agency to revoke regulation permitting the use of carrageenan as a food additive. Tobacman claimed carrageenan and its breakdown product created dangerous inflammation.

Carrageenan is the only approved non-synthetic stabilizer currently allowed for use in U.S. liquid organic infant formula. In 2013, U.S. regulatory agencies continued approval of carrageenan for use in organic infant formula and other organic foods. In June 2014, the Joint FAO/WHO Expert Committee on Food Additives (JECFA) found carrageenan safe for use to stabilize and keep nutrients properly disbursed in infant formula, including formula for special medical purposes.

“We commend the USDA for taking seriously its responsibility to review the NOSB recommendation and make a decision based on the facts and science,” said Michiel van Genugten, global product line manager, Seaweed Extracts & Colors. “This will allow organic food producers to continue to use a safe, versatile ingredient they rely on, and for consumers to enjoy the foods they know and love.”

The global hydrocolloids market has witnessed steady growth due to the varied functional attributes of hydrocolloids, as well as an uptick in consumer demand for convenient prepared foods that are minimally processed and contain natural ingredients. The global market for hydrocolloids will reach US$8.5 billion by 2022, representing a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 5.8 percent. For more on this topic, download Food Insider Journal’s January 2018 issue “Market Opportunities for Clean Label Gums & Starches.”