Source: Michael Fielding, MEATINGPLACE, 6/3/15


Eighty-seven percent of Americans look at the Nutrition Facts panel on packaged foods and beverages at least sometimes, while more than half (56 percent) actively seek out nutritional information and guidelines, according to survey data published by market research firm Packaged Facts in the new report “Nutritional Labeling and Clean Labels in the U.S.: Future of Food Retailing.”

Likewise, two out of three consumers (67 percent) favor groceries with fewer and “simpler” ingredients, while approximately the same percentage takes nutritional content statements, ingredient-free statements and statements about health benefits into consideration when buying packaged foods and beverages.

Many retailers have developed their own brands of clean-label products. Foodservice providers also are seeking more transparency and cleaner ingredients statements.

Major industry initiatives include eliminating artificial coloring and flavorings, replacing artificial preservatives with natural ones, reducing added sugars, switching to GMO-free ingredients, and reducing or eliminating antibiotics given to animals.

The gluten-free trend has yet to subside as well. Gluten-free or wheat-free diets are expected to continue to be trendy through 2015, according to the annual "What's Trending in Nutrition" survey from Pollock Communications and Today's Dietitian. The survey revealed that 70 percent of dietitians believe consumers will be more interested in nutrition and weight loss in 2015 than they were in 2014. Dietitians also noted that the industry would continue to see "clean eating" as well as the protein-rich Paleo diet as popular eating trends.

Data suggest that up to 2 percent of the American population has either a wheat allergy or celiac disease and therefore has a need for gluten free products, according to the National Foundation for Celiac Disease. There also is a trend for the general public to purchase gluten-free meat products regardless of its health status.

Gluten-free deli meat and conventional deli meat will usually not differ in gluten concentration, but a gluten-free chicken nugget or chicken strip will likely be breaded with rice flour, which is very different in composition from chicken nuggets breaded in wheat flour that contain significant quantities of gluten.

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