As consumer interest in improved health and wellness continues to trend upward, interest in natural sweeteners in favor of sugar continues. Based on the results of a recent study at Massachusetts General Hospital, that trend is likely to continue.

The researchers based their conclusions on a simulation based on the U.S. National Salt and Sugar Reduction Initiative (NSSRI), proposed in 2018. The simulation “incorporated national demographic and dietary data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey [NHANES] across 3 cycles (2011-2016), added sugar-related diseases from meta-analyses, and policy costs and health-related costs from established sources.”

The results were shocking: “Achieving the NSSRI sugar reduction targets (20% reduction in packaged foods and 40% reduction in beverages) could prevent 2.48 million CVD [cardiovascular disease] events, 0.49 million CVD deaths, and 0.75 million diabetes cases; gain 6.67 million QALYs [quality-adjusted life years]; and save US$160.88 billion net costs from a societal perspective over a lifetime (Circulation. 2021. DOI: 10.1161/CIRCULATIONAHA.121.053678).” The researchers went on to say the NSSRI policy “could also reduce disparities, with greatest estimated health gains per million adults among Black and Hispanic, lower income, and less educated Americans.”

Currently, more than 40% of American adults are obese, 50% have diabetes or prediabetes, and nearly 50% have CVD, with those from lower-income groups being disproportionately burdened, the researchers noted. Reducing those numbers is key to a sustainable, healthy future.

Food & Beverage Insider insights

Consumers have already been demanding lower-sugar products, and brands have been quick to respond—not because of mandates, but because of the bottom line. FMCG Gurus data from February 2021 indicated 56% of consumers were planning to cut down on their sugar intake over the next 12 months. Additionally, 70% said they appreciated sugar-free claims. NHANES data had that number closer to 80%.

Sugar reduction is both popular and feasible. The Mass General researchers indicated implementation of the NSSRI policy would be cost-effective after just six years, and cost-saving after nine. The issue, then, continues to be making low- or no-sugar taste like consumers want. Low- and no-sugar baked goods, frozen desserts, breads and confections must taste good, or consumers will not repeat purchase. While sugar reduction is important to many consumers, eating food that tastes good is nearly always of a higher priority.

Continued research and development (R&D) into natural sweetener ingredients is of the utmost importance. Consumers will never give up the small indulgences with which they treat themselves; the onus is on industry to work toward making healthier indulgences a more prevalent option. 

Stay-at-home orders changed the way consumers snack, and many speculate that habits formed during the pandemic will endure once life gets back to “normal.” This is great news for clean label brands.

“The Future of Grocery Shopping in Uncertain Times”—joint research from Informa Market’s New Hope Network and consumer research firm Suzy—indicated 58% of consumers were snacking more during the pandemic than they usually would, and 35% were purchasing more healthy snacks than usual. At the same time, Innova Market Insights pointed out in its Top Ten Trends for 2021 in Sweets and Snacks webinar that demands have evolved in the snack category. Specifically, natural and artificial-free are now the bare minimum for consumers, and today’s top requests range from GMO-free and “real” ingredients to those that take into account human and animal welfare, supply chain transparency and sustainable sourcing.

According to Innova, connecting with the consumer and telling meaningful stories will matter in the snack market as consumption goes up and demands increase, especially since 3 in 5 global consumers are interested in learning more about where their food comes from and how it’s made. Stories that will resonate include those based on plants (whether communicating clean eating or nutritional boosts), sustainable farming, animal welfare and eco-efforts. How’s a snack brand to choose ... and differentiate?

Food & Beverage Insider spoke with experts from leading clean snack brands—including B&G Foods (the parent company behind Back to Nature) and HIPPEAS—about the top demands, challenges and trends impacting the clean label snack market today.

Food & Beverage Insider: What are some of the emerging trends impacting the clean label snack market right now, and what is driving those trends?

Meghan Swatt, senior brand manager, snacks, B&G Foods Inc.: It is such an interesting time in the entire food industry right now. There are more people cooking and eating at home than ever before. With that, though, comes a certain sense of monotony and boredom. For clean label snacks, it is a great time to attract the new consumer with labels and trends that someone may have never thought of giving a try before. Plant based is everywhere—from meat to milk, from frozen to snacks.

We are also starting to see upcycled ingredients enter into the conversation. This trend couples concerns about what goes into your body, with what is left behind in the environment from making those foods. With the use of upcycled ingredients, it helps make sure every part of the plant or fruit is used so nothing goes to waste. At Back to Nature, we are aiming to create delicious foods that aren’t just better for you, but better for the planet as well.

Lindsey Valliere, vice president of marketing, HIPPEAS: Transparency is the top trend impacting the clean label snack market. Consumers are looking for brands they can trust and that provide authentic and credible products. This desire for transparency is tied to growing consumer concerns around sustainability and ethically produced foods.

This excerpt is from a longer article, “Snack experts differentiate with transparency, sustainability and claims” in the “Innovation in the healthy snack space” digital magazine. Click the link to read the full Q&A with industry leaders from B&G Foods (the parent company behind Back to Nature), HIPPEAS and The Good Crisp Co.

Melissa Kvidahl Reilly is a freelance writer and editor with 10 years of experience covering news and trends in the natural, organic and supplement markets. She lives and works in New Jersey.

Twelve people have been hospitalized; no deaths have been reported. Illness onset dates range from May 9 to July 27, 2021. On Aug. 27 Fratelli Beretta USA Inc. recalled approximately 862,000 pounds of uncured antipasto products that may be contaminated with Salmonella Infantis and/or Salmonella Typhimurium, according to USDA’s Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS),.

The recall involves ready-to-eat (RTE) uncured antipasto meat trays produced on Feb. 28, 2021 through Aug. 15, 2021 and sold at retail locations nationwide. Products affected by the recall include 24-ounce trays containing two 12-oucne packages of “Fratelli Beretta UNCURED ANTIPASTO PROSCIUTTO, SOPPRESSATA, MILANO SALAMI & COPPA” with best by dates of AUG 27 21 through FEB 11 22 and UPC code 073541305316. The products subject to recall bear establishment number “EST. 7543B” printed on the packaging next to the best by date. The recall does not include Italian-style meats sliced at a deli.

FSIS has been working with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and public health partners to investigate a multistate outbreak of 36 Salmonella Typhimurium (23) and Salmonella Infantis (13) illnesses in 17 states, with onset dates ranging from May 9 through July 27, 2021. Twelve people have been hospitalized and no deaths have been reported.

Some ill people reported eating Fratelli Beretta brand uncured antipasto before they got sick and the traceback investigation confirmed that some of the ill people purchased uncured antipasto trays produced by Fratelli Beretta USA, Inc. FSIS continues to work with the CDC and state and local public health partners on this investigation to determine if additional products are linked to illness. FSIS will provide updated information if it becomes available.

FSIS is concerned that some product is in consumers’ refrigerators. Consumers who have purchased these products are urged not to consume them. These products should be thrown away or returned to the place of purchase.

The study, published in the journal Nutrients and funded by the California Walnut Commission, found eating five or more servings of walnuts per week was associated with a 14% lower risk of death (from any cause), 25% lower risk of dying from cardiovascular diseases, and a gain in about 1.3 years of life expectancy, compared to those who didn’t consume walnuts.

For the study, researchers examined data from 67,014 women of the Nurses’ Health Study who were average aged 63.6 years and 26,326 men from the Health Professionals Follow-up Study aged 63.3 years in 1986. Participants were relatively healthy when they joined the studies (e.g., free of cancer, heart disease and stroke) and were followed for about 20 years (1998-2018). Dietary intake was assessed every four years in which participants reported on their overall dietary intake—including how often they consumed walnuts, other tree nuts and peanuts—as well as lifestyle factors like exercise and smoking status. Based on the data, researchers identified associations between walnut consumption at varying levels and different health indicators related to longevity.

One ounce of walnuts is a powerhouse of important nutrients, including 4 g protein, 2 g fiber, 45 mg of magnesium (45mg) and 2.5 g of essential omega-3 ALA.

While eating five or more servings of walnuts a day had the most benefits, the researchers noted consuming walnuts in lower amounts also had benefits. Eating walnuts two to four times per week had a 13% lower risk of death overall, 14% lower risk of dying from cardiovascular diseases, and a gain in about one year of life, compared to non-walnut consumers. Even among people with a suboptimal diet, consuming just a one-half serving of walnuts per day was associated with benefits, including 12% reduced risk of death and 26% lower risk of death from cardiovascular diseases.

“What we’ve learned from this study is that even a few handfuls of walnuts per week may help promote longevity, especially among those whose diet quality isn’t great to begin with. It’s a practical tip that can be feasible for a number of people who are looking to improve their health, which is top of mind for many people,” said Yanping Li, senior research scientist at the Department of Nutrition at Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, and lead investigator of this research.

Poor diet is among the leading causes of poor overall health; a 2019 study found nearly 20% of all heart disease, stroke and type 2 diabetes costs in the U.S.—some $50 billion—are a result of poor diet (PLoS Med. 16[12]:e1002981). 

For these reasons, Public Health England (PHE) has, over the past several years, published a series of voluntary targets for food manufacturers to improve the nutritional value of their products, including reductions in sugar, salt and calories.

The question, though, is whether such voluntary targets are having a real effect on the nutritional quality of foods. The answer, according to a recent study, appears to be underwhelming (PLoS One. 2021;16[8] e0254833).

For the study, researchers from the University of Oxford in the U.K. investigated how, if at all, the nutritional quality of foods produced by the world’s top 10 food and beverage companies—including Mondelez, Coca-Cola, Premier Foods and others—changed over time. Together, the companies account for nearly a quarter of food and beverage sales in the U.K.

To judge the nutritional quality of these brands’ products, each was assigned points based on such factors as energy, saturated fat, total sugar, sodium level, fiber and protein. In addition, fruit, vegetable and nut contents were considered.

Based on these scores, the researchers found only very modest improvements in the overall healthfulness of products. From 2015 to 2018, the percentage of products meeting the “healthy” classification criteria increased from 46% to 48%. The sales increase for healthy products between 2015 and 2018 was slightly larger, from 44% in 2015 to 51% in 2018, though researchers mainly attributed that to increased sales of bottled water and other no-calorie beverages. In fact, with soft drinks removed from the equation, the proportion of healthy sales actually fell from 2015 to 2018.

“Between 2015 and 2018, there was no evidence of change in the overall mean sales weighted nutrient profiling score of products sold by the top 10 food and drink companies in the U.K.,” the researchers concluded. “This suggests that despite PHE’s reformulation targets for calories, sugar and salt, there has been no improvement in the nutritional quality of foods that people are buying.”

Food & Beverage Insider insights

Though overall, little improvement was seen in the nutritional quality of products sold and purchased within the U.K., some data did show compelling evidence that some measures have been successful. However, the most successful appear to be those measures which are not voluntary.

The improvement in the nutritional quality of soft drinks sold and purchased, according to researchers, can be traced to the introduction of the Soft Drinks Industry Levy (SDIL), which imposes extra taxes on brands for excess sugar in their products.

“[This improvement] was largely attributable to a reduction in the sugar content of some soft drink products and an increase in the volume sales of healthy beverages (bottled water, low/no calorie drinks and fruit juices), changes likely driven by the introduction of the Soft Drink Industry Levy in 2018,” the researchers noted.

However, that is not to say voluntary regulations and monitoring are not effective tools in other regards. The researchers explained that even the process of monitoring brands for their nutritional qualities begets improvement, even if slowly.

“Transparent monitoring of this kind also allows for greater consumer understanding of the work that is, or is not, being undertaken by companies,” the study concluded. “There is some evidence that pressure from the social environment is a factor influencing corporate behavior, and public benchmarking exercises may increase pressure on companies to make meaningful change.”

As consumers increasingly call on food and beverage brands to provide great-tasting, better-for-you products—a trend only accentuated by the recent global pandemic—the power of the almighty dollar in conjunction with these voluntary goals may well push the global food and beverage industry in a healthier direction.

Milk Specialties Global acquires Kay’s Processing

Milk Specialties Global (MSG) acquired the 96,000-square-foot, gluten-free certified Kay’s Processing facility in Clara City, Minnesota, along with the Kay’s Naturals consumer brand. The acquisition will expand operations at the Clara City facility to accommodate demand for extruded protein products that are used for a variety of applications ranging from snacks to meat alternatives.

“There is a lot of potential to ramp up production and increase capacity at our new Clara City facility, including more co-manufacturing,” said Jim Fischer, vice president of Extrusion Technology and Strategy at MSG.

The Clara City facility is MSG’s 11th plant, and the latest in a series of strategic acquisitions and expansions that began in 2008. Most recently, in 2020 the company doubled its lactose production following expansion of its west coast processing facility in Visalia, California. Earlier this year, MSG completed a capital improvement project at its Fond Du Lac, Wisconsin, facility to begin production of lactoferrin, signaling the launch of its NutriPRO line of products focusing on the health benefits of whey protein.

Wixon expands operations in Wisconsin

Wixon Inc. is investing more than $15 million to expand its facilities in St. Francis, Wisconsin. The company plans to expand its manufacturing and packaging operations as well as add 40 new jobs.

Project plans include purchasing a 100,000-square-foot facility located in the airport industrial park for manufacturing and purchasing new machinery and tooling. Wixon owns and maintains several buildings on the campus, but the ability to physically expand its operations is limited due to its proximity to the surrounding buildings. The company announced adaptive reuse of the existing buildings. In addition to supporting widespread growth, the segregated expansion will also further support the Gott Pet Products line.

“With projected compound annual growth of 45% on top of over 50% growth last year, it was clear that we would need more room for success,” said Peter Gottsacker, president of Wixon and Gott Pet Products. “Additional supply chain facilities were also needed because of the success of Gott Pet Products, a separate Wisconsin-owned family business.”

PepsiCo announces ‘Net Water Positive’ commitment

PepsiCo Inc. announced its intent to become net water positive—to replenish more water than the company uses—by 2030. If achieved, PepsiCo would become one of the most water-efficient food or beverage manufacturers operating in high-risk watersheds.

New goals will guide tangible operational action towards PepsiCo’s “Net Water Positive” ambition to reduce absolute water use and replenish back into the local watershed more than 100% of the water used at company-owned and third-party sites in high-water-risk areas. The program seeks to deliver safe water access to 100 million people by 2030.

Reduction efficiencies are to be met through the adoption of operational best-in-class or world-class water-use-efficiency standards covering more than 1,000 company-owned and third-party facilities, with nearly half located in high-risk watersheds. Raising the efficiency standard at company-owned sites in high-risk watersheds alone will allow PepsiCo to avoid using more than 11 billion liters of water a year, a 50% reduction in the amount of water the company uses at these sites. PepsiCo also aims to adopt the Alliance for Water Stewardship Standard in all high-water risk areas where it operates by 2025.
The PepsiCo Foundation is also launching a new $1 million program with leading NGO and long-term partner, WaterAid to bring safe water to families in Sub-Saharan Africa—expanding its 15-year, more than $53 million safe water access initiative that reaches over 20 countries and has helped more than 59 million people since 2006. The investment with WaterAid is focused on Sub-Saharan Africa and will help improve water infrastructure, build new water supply systems and equitable sanitation facilities, and promote hygiene education. It will also empower women and girls to become water, sanitation and hygiene stewards in their communities by providing them with the funding and training to maintain water access points and sanitation facilities in the future.

AAK extends Kolo Nafaso sustainable shea program

AAK has extended its Kolo Nafaso shea sourcing program to support the growing demand for ethically produced chocolate confectionery. The program already reaches 320,000 women in West Africa, representing 8% of the global shea industry’s workforce.

AAK directly sources shea kernels from Burkina Faso, Ghana and Ivory Coast where women predominantly collect the kernels. Within Kolo Nafaso, established in 2009, AAK purchases directly from women’s groups, ranging from 7 to 400 in size, eliminating the need for middlemen. As a result, the women are empowered to invest back into their own communities and enable them to build a better livelihood for themselves and their families.

In 2020, AAK’s Kolo Nafaso programs in Burkina Faso and Ghana were fully verified by Proforest, an external, non-profit organization that promotes responsible production and sourcing of agricultural commodities. In 2021, the full scope of Kolo Nafaso has been verified, including Ivory Coast.

Women participating in Kolo Nafaso have access to a pre-financing scheme that ensures a stable income during the leanest period of the year, avoiding a large drop in income when shea is out of season. They can opt to receive interest-free credits during lean periods, helping them to maintain their living standards throughout the year and not just during the shea kernel harvest.

Cargill partners AeroFarms on cocoa production

Cargill has entered a multi-year research agreement with vertical farming pioneer and leader AeroFarms aimed at improving cocoa bean yields and developing more climate-resilient farming practices.

This latest research collaboration brings together AeroFarms’ expertise in controlled environment agriculture, with Cargill's extensive knowledge of cocoa agronomy and production practices. Together, the two organizations will experiment with different indoor growing technologies including aeroponics and hydroponics, light, carbon dioxide, irrigation, nutrition, plant space and pruning to identify the optimal conditions for cocoa tree growth.

These findings will yield new insights, targeting factors such as faster tree growth and greater yields, accelerated development of varieties with enhanced pest and disease resistance, and unlocking the cocoa bean’s full flavor and color potential. The outcomes will help secure the future supply of cocoa beans in the face of climate change.

Initial exploratory work has already begun at AeroFarms global headquarters in Newark, New Jersey, and will expand to the company's state-of-the-art AeroFarms AgX Research & Development indoor vertical farm in Abu Dhabi, UAE, which is slated to open in early 2022.