This week, NASA announced the landmark discovery of water on sunlit portions of the moon. While such a discovery is sure to make astronomers stop in their tracks, Israel-based Aleph Farms has its sights set even higher; can you say, “space meat”?

In an announcement Wednesday, October 21, Aleph Farms reported it has launched the “Aleph Zero” program, with the intent to “[advance] food security by producing fresh quality meat anywhere, independent of climate change and of availability of local natural resources.” The core of this mission, according to Aleph Farms? “Introducing new capabilities for locally producing fresh, quality meat even in the most harsh and remote extraterrestrial environments, such as space.”

Quite simply, such an ability would change manned spaceflight as we know it. One of the core issues with manned missions is feeding astronauts; food and water must be brought with astronauts, and those things have weight. More weight means more fuel, which means more weight and so on. The ability to cultivate food in the remote confines of space would be one of many steps necessary for eventual colonization of space.

According to a recent press release, “Aleph Farms is securing strategic partnerships with technology companies and space agencies for long-term collaborative research and development contracts that will ensure the integration of Aleph Farms’ innovations into leading space programs. These programs will leverage the company’s deep-rooted know-how in cell biology, tissue engineering, and food science to establish BioFarms in extraterrestrial environments, enabling the company to eventually apply the lessons learned in space to earthbound sites.”

Of note if that last sentence; of course this mission has ramifications on Earth as well. As Aleph Farms co-founder and CEO Didier Toubia states, “The program ‘Aleph Zero’ reflects our mission of producing quality, delicious meat locally where people live and consume it, even in the most remote places on Earth like the Sahara Desert or Antarctica, providing unconditional access to high-quality nutrition to anyone, anytime, anywhere.” While growing food and cultivating meat in space are lofty goals, improving food quality and availability where people already live here on Earth is perhaps just as, if not more, important.

This isn’t Aleph Farms’ first foray into space food. In October 2019, the company successfully collaborated with 3D Bioprinting Solutions to show proof-of-concept in producing meat aboard the International Space Station, “resulting in new capacities to cultivate real meat directly from various types of cow cells, under micro-gravity and far from any natural resources.”

“The constraints imposed by deep-space-exploration—the cold, thin environment and the circular approach—force us to tighten the efficiency of our meat production process to much higher sustainability standards,” Toubia noted. “When people will live on the moon or Mars, Aleph Farms will be there as well."

The former president of an ice cream maker tied to contaminated food in 2015 has been charged with wire fraud and conspiracy, but his attorney argued the grand jury charges were filed too late and should be dismissed.

In an indictment filed in federal court in Austin, Texas, Paul Kruse—previously of Blue Bell Creameries L.P.—was charged with seven counts of wire fraud and conspiracy to commit wire fraud related to his supposed efforts to hide from customers Blue Bell’s knowledge about Listeria contamination in its products.

“American consumers trust that the individuals who lead food manufacturing companies will put the public safety before profits,” Acting Assistant Attorney General Jeffrey Bossert Clark of the U.S. Department of Justice’s (DOJ) Civil Division said in a statement. “The Department of Justice will take appropriate action against those who ship contaminated products and choose not to tell consumers about known risks.”

In February 2015, Texas state officials notified the company that two ice cream products from its factory in Brenham, Texas, tested positive for Listeria monocytogenes, according to a grand jury indictment.

“Kruse allegedly orchestrated a scheme to deceive certain Blue Bell customers, including by directing employees to remove potentially contaminated products from store freezers without notifying retailers or consumers about the real reason for the withdrawal,” DOJ stated in an Oct. 21 news release. “The indictment alleges that Kruse directed employees to tell customers who asked about the removal that there was an unspecified issue with a manufacturing machine.”

Blue Bell did not immediately recall the products or formally disclose to customers the potential contamination of Listeria, DOJ said.

Chris Flood, an attorney representing Kruse, said he planned to file a motion to dismiss the indictment.

“They [federal prosecutors] had five years to return an indictment, and they didn’t do it within five years,” he said in a brief interview for this article.

Flood also denied the substance of the grand jury’s allegations. “Neither Paul Kruse [nor] Blue Bell ever intended to defraud anybody,” the attorney said. “The indictment doesn’t accurately reflect … what happened back in 2015 when Blue Bell learned about the unfortunate Listeria in their ice cream.”

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) says Listeria monocytogenes causes a serious infection called listeriosis, which predominantly impacts pregnant women, newborns, the elderly and individuals with weakened immune systems.

Blue Bell’s products were the source of an outbreak of listeriosis in 2015, affecting 10 people in Arizona, Kansas, Oklahoma and Texas, CDC reported. All of the people were hospitalized, and three deaths were reported in Kansas, according to the health protection agency.

Asked to comment on the indictment, Blue Bell pointed out Kruse left his post as president and CEO in February 2017, then departed the board of directors two years later.

“He is no longer employed by or a director of the company, so it would not be appropriate for us to comment on his personal legal situation,” Blue Bell stated in an email. “All legal proceedings between the Department of Justice and the company have been concluded.”

Blue Bell was recently ordered to pay more than $17 million in criminal penalties for shipping contaminated products linked to the 2015 outbreak of listeriosis. U.S. District Judge Robert Pitman imposed the largest-ever criminal penalty following a conviction in a food safety case, according to DOJ.

Blue Bell previously agreed to plead guilty to misdemeanor counts and pay a criminal fine and forfeiture amount totaling $17.25 million. Texas-based Blue Bell further agreed to pay $2.1 million to resolve civil allegations under the False Claims Act related to ice cream products produced under insanitary conditions and sold to federal facilities.

Blue Bell observed in a May 1 statement that its agreement with the government related to events that transpired five years ago, before the company shut down and revamped its production facilities and procedures. The ice cream maker described food safety as its “highest priority” and said it “must continue to be vigilant every day.”

With a nod to the old TV series The Twilight Zone, imagine, if you will, living in a two-dimensional world of black and white, where people and places were boring and bland with maybe a hint of grey to spice things up. It doesn’t sound very exciting, does it? The same holds true in the food and beverage world—especially when talking about colors and flavors.

How food looks can be a major deciding factor in whether a consumer will try the product. In order to increase visual appeal, product developers rely on color additives—synthetic, natural or nature-identical—to offset possible color loss, enhance naturally occurring colors or give bland-looking foods an attractive hue. In fact, adding color to food products also has been found to impact the chemosensory perception of foods and beverages, and evidence suggests that color exerts these effects through a link with emotion, according to a 2016 study published in the journal Food Quality and Preference. The same holds true for flavors. The study’s authors found strong evidence that consumers have pre-existing expectations regarding the appropriate color for specific flavors and types of beverages.

As the trend in the food and beverage markets is for more natural, organic and clean label products, consumers are looking for products free from artificial flavors and synthetic colors. Fortunately, ingredient suppliers are returning to Mother Nature to provide food and beverage brands with natural color and flavor solutions that not only deliver on taste and appearance, but also satisfy consumer demand for clean label. That said, brands looking to launch products with natural colors and/or flavors should consider several issues.

Nothing is a sure thing

If 2020 has taught us anything, it’s expect the unexpected. COVID-19 has affected nearly every aspect of international commerce and the global economy, and the global food market is no exception. The good news is people must eat, noted Brandon Hernandez, co-founder of Whole Brain Consulting. “Those of us in the food business need to keep pushing to make it as safe as possible and as available as possible. The continued resiliency of the food and beverage industry is amazing. Large, medium and small brands are rallying and supporting each other, and that gives me optimism,” he said during a Food & Beverage Insider video chat.

While Hernandez was referring to the overall food and beverage space, the same holds true for ingredients such as colors and flavors. Each year, ingredient suppliers and brands are tasked with predicting the next “hot” trend and delivering innovative healthy products that feed consumer interest and spark bountiful sales. Colors and flavors are key to those trends, so it’s no surprise that brands rely heavily on color and flavor houses for inspiration.

For more than 20 years, the Pantone Color Institute has set the bar for colors that influence product development and purchasing decisions in multiple industries—from fashion and home furnishings to food and beverage products. In 2020, Pantone declared “Classic Blue” as the color of the year, calling it an “enduring blue hue that instills calm, confidence and connection and highlights our desire for a dependable and stable foundation on which to build as we cross the threshold into a new era.” (Looking back at the year, Pantone would have been better to go with a muddy brown.)

In the world of colors, the natural palette is expanding, and product developers are using plant-based ingredients such as turmeric, beetroot, annatto, red wine extracts, hibiscus and butterfly pea flower to replace artificial colors.

In terms of flavors, 2020 predictions ran the gamut—from citrus to botanicals, spicy to refreshing. We’ve also seen natural flavors suppliers growing their international selection with flavors like ube, churro and yuzu, noted Dave Mortemore, product development manager, Bubbies. This continued interest in flavors is only gaining ground due to the COVID-19 pandemic that has forced people around the globe to retreat to their own kitchens to prepare meals. Many are experimenting with internationalcuisines as a means to stamp their virtual passports with tasty culinary destinations.

Philip Caputo, marketing and consumer insights manager at Virginia Dare, noted certain ingredients that invoke flavors associated with health and well-being are on the rise. Dark berries such as açaì, elderberry and goji are recognized as rich sources of antioxidants, while ginger and mushrooms are known for anti-inflammatory properties. By integrating wellness flavors into their applications, brands can underscore their focus on targeted nutrition categories such as immunity, brain health, aging and digestion, he said.

Understand formulation challenges

Product developers have myriad natural colorants and flavors to choose from, but achieving the desired outcome is no easy feat since colors and flavors are influenced by pH, temperature, light, moisture, packaging, processing and more. Natural ingredients also can be more expensive, more volatile, and have a shorter shelf life than artificial counterparts. With these considerations, natural flavors and colors can require longer research and development (R&D) timelines and investment to validate the formula and meet consumer and retail needs.

Consider the natural color palette where technical considerations vary depending on both the product and the color. Natural colors are more sensitive to pH as well as fading due to light and to heat during processing; therefore, product developers must choose natural colors that will maintain intensity throughout processing and on the shelf. Despite these challenges, certain methods such as masking agents and packaging with a UV barrier can protect the integrity of the product when formulating with these colors.

“For example, pH can have a significant impact on reds, purples and pinks, but yellow, orange and brown hues aren’t affected,” said Jeannette O'Brien, vice president, GNT USA. For spirulina-based colors, minimizing heat exposure helps ensure maximum color retention. Nathalie Pauleau, global product manager, Natural Colors, Naturex (part of Givaudan), agreed, noting the same natural red pigment used for making a strawberry ice cream cannot be used in a red fruit juice drink due to different pH levels.

Flavors also present unique challenges, especially when working with proteins and botanicals that can bring off-notes and bitterness. Long or harsh cooking processes also can cause flavors to break down. As noted in Kim Decker’s article, natural flavors may deliver comparable functionality, and the parity gap with synthetic flavors is closer than ever before; however, heat-intensive processing can still be especially brutal on natural ingredients.

“Natural flavors often contain components that are especially degradation-prone, volatile and expensive,” explained Bill Aslanides, chief flavor chemist at Synergy Flavors. Such is the case with profiles based on green notes, sulfurous tropical notes and other volatiles that are notoriously vulnerable to processing degradation.

When these natural flavors flash off, formulators need to strengthen and otherwise manipulate the final flavor formulation to work with the application. “A flavorist will carefully rebalance these notes after evaluation, almost always leading to increased flavor cost,” Aslanides added. “But care is taken to adjust in a manner that keeps cost-in-use in check.”

Identify your target consumer

Pushing the boundaries of colors and flavors and venturing well outside the norms will keep feeding the consumer desire to try out a product, engage with a brand digitally and share on social media. In her article, Euromonitor International’s Karine Dussimon said as COVID-19 pushes health and comfort further to consumers’ front of mind, snacks manufacturers can address these demands using flavors and colors that revolve around the quality of ingredients and their nutritional benefits. Appealing to consumers’ geographical identities through local flavors should also be perceived as added value. The future is increasingly digital; connecting with consumers online through riveting colors and bold, novel flavor concepts will be key, particularly to Millennials and younger generations.

In his article, Will Cowling, marketing manager at FMCG Gurus, noted consumers want flavors and coloring they deem to be “green and clean,” a trend that will intensify in the wake of COVID-19 as greater emphasis is placed on product safety. He suggested any natural coloring and flavoring needs to be directly linked to product purity in order to position products as being healthier, more sustainable and, crucially, better quality. He emphasized that transparency and authenticity is key when promoting natural colors and flavors because consumers are becoming increasingly skeptical about the practices and policies of brands and believe they can be misleading when it comes to claims.

Keep an eye on costs

Natural colors and flavors carry a higher price point than their synthetic counterparts, mainly due to sourcing and extraction costs. When deciding whether to go natural, brands must consider cost-in-use, especially for products that carry a low price point. What’s more, going natural depends a lot on Mother Nature, and supply chains can be disrupted by adverse weather conditions such as hurricanes, freeze and flooding.

Given how COVID-19 has upended sourcing, supply chains and logistics, formulators and CPG brands alike are having to keep their eyes on the markets as they attempt to satisfy consumer demand for natural flavors and colors. And as Lloyd Sapra, chief operating officer at Edlong, pointed out, that’s not always easy.

“We’ve seen an impact on the supply chain, for sure,” he said. “At times, we’re paying premium prices because of constraints on supply and demand, especially getting extracts and ingredients originating from China and India.” However, he emphasized, “Flavor companies and ingredient suppliers have made significant strides in procuring materials, so as to reduce any negative impact.”

To read more about advancements in colors and flavors for healthy food and beverage applications, check out the "Winning strategies for natural colors and flavors" – digital magazine.

Food and drink are increasingly socially acceptable in almost all spaces of our lives, from work to school, to cars, buses and trains, to shops and many other public spaces. The Hartman Group’s Modern Beverage Culture 2018 report found 65% of consumers always have a beverage on hand, including 73% of Millennials, 63% of Gen Xers and 58% of Baby Boomers.

The combination of relaxed norms around eating and drinking, and the increased importance of health and wellness in our food and beverage choices, has expanded the roles beverages play. Beverages are increasingly used as a source of nutrition and substitute for food.

The idea of hydration has been especially important in expanding the range of occasions in which it is socially appropriate to have a beverage. “Hydration” decouples drinking from thirst, making it not only acceptable, but encouraged, to always have a beverage handy.

With increasingly hectic consumer lifestyles and a growing field of options, beverages are carrying more of the nutritional and emotional burden of consumers’ days. Heightened self-awareness, higher standards for what they put in their bodies, and access to an increasingly distinctive array of beverages have raised the game for what it means to meet consumers’ needs.

Today’s beverage culture: Beverages with a purpose

To truly understand the food and beverage industry, one must first understand “the culture.” Specifically, and sharing many similarities with food culture, American beverage culture represents the epitome of consumer choice—where a vast array of options exists (with more options waiting to be created) to solve evolving needs and lifestyles where convenience is paramount.

The Hartman Group’s Modern Beverage Culture 2018 report found beverage culture includes shared beliefs and behaviors around drinking, including beliefs around what is appropriate to drink, when, how and with whom. In today’s culture, consumers are seeking beverages with purpose.

While the 1980s were about the emergence of awareness of the environment, and the 1990s saw the rise in natural and organic, the dawn of a new millennium in 2000 brought a new era focused on health and wellness. This time witnessed the evolutionary shift in consumers’ attitudes about functional foods from “food as not medicine” to foods and beverages that are “better for me,” to today’s current mindset of consuming beverages that “help me be the best that I can be.”

While much of the focus of beverage consumption is on hydration and naturally functional drinks, contemporary health and wellness notions include the idea that the best health solutions are personalized, and that food and beverages can be used to achieve optimal performance.

Performance is no longer a benefit reserved for athletes and fitness buffs, but it is something that touches all consumers as they seek to excel in and enjoy all aspects of life.

Performance is targeted functionality. It is using beverages for a specific, intended purpose. Consumers use coffee throughout the day to stay alert. They use protein shakes to help muscles recover after a workout and have a chamomile tea before going to bed to help relax to get a good night’s rest.

Performance is about a positive outlook. It’s how consumers can elevate their game. “How can I be the best I can be in that meeting?” It’s about using beverages to help attain peak performance in every aspect of life. The Hartman Group’s Health + Wellness 2019 report found 62% of consumers said the meaning of health and wellness is “feeling good about myself.”

Consumers intentionally think about the beverages they drink and consider if they will deliver a specific benefit/result that is needed. Forty-four percent of consumers said it was important “that my beverages do something for me” (such as provide energy, nutrients or other benefits), according to The Hartman Group’s Modern Beverage Culture report.

While performance is targeted functionally, consumers focus on inherent functionality—not scientific functionality. Inherent functionality is having naturally occurring health benefits.

Marketplace change: Shifting cultural values

As shifting cultural values drive companies to respond to the changing beverage market, new options within it drive more customers to adopt new values, such as:

• Back-to-nature beverages: Reflecting a desire for simpler ingredients and production methods elevates products like kombucha and less-processed formulations (e.g., real sugar in soda).
• Drink responsibly 2.0: Consumers search for information and assurance around sourcing, which creates new dimensions of quality in many beverage categories, especially those with an agricultural association, like coffee and milk.
• Drinkable discovery: The pursuit of diverse flavors and benefits prompts consumers to explore new beverage styles and ingredients from around the world, creating opportunity for new categories to emerge while transforming formerly staid categories like beer.

In whatever setting consumed, beverages are a means for people to express themselves. The beverages market offers a complex, compelling landscape full of strategic implications for manufacturers, retailers and restaurant/foodservice operators.

Laurie Demeritt is CEO of The Hartman Group, where she drives the vision, strategy, operations and results-oriented culture for the company's associates as The Hartman Group furthers its offerings of tactical thinking, consumer and market intelligence, cultural competency and innovative intellectual capital to a global marketplace.