12/23/2008
An unfortunate gastronomical encounter with a snack-food brownie-like product got me talking about foods we all loved “back in the day,” (many of which would make a self-respecting foodie―or nutritionist―cringe in horror) with our friend Keena D. Lykins, a public relations senior account supervisor at Rhea + Kaiser Marketing Communications. She had such fun writing her last ...
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12/19/2008
FDA has finally given the go-ahead for the use of stevia Reb A, also known as rebiana, sweeteners (Rebaudioside A purified from Stevia rebaudiana, as a general-purpose sweetener in foods generally, excluding meat and poultry products). The news made quite a ripple—I haven’t seen this much industry buzz about a new ingredient since the introduction of aspartame in the ‘80s, although ...
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12/16/2008
I meant to go to PLMA's 2008 Private Label Trade Show last month, I really did. I even blogged about the rise of private labels a few days before in preparation. Alas—you know what they say about best-laid plans—instead I got caught playing catch-up on various work fronts and missed the show. But I wish I didn’t.The New York Times just published a story on the rising popularity of ...
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12/09/2008
Every once in a while I find out I’m trendy and I didn’t even know it. First it was backyard dandelion leaves as a salad green; now it’s artisan cured meats. The Chicago Tribune Magazine mentions as one of the hottest food trends domestic versions of “those zesty, mouth-watering salumis—such as prosciutto, coppa, speck, pancetta—that were once the province of European artisans.” ...
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12/02/2008
With the economy in flux and a new government set to kick in, it’s hard to know exactly what next year will bring to the food industry. But, unless the majority of the country descends into hand-to-mouth sustenance, the connection between diet and improved health will certainly continue to be a purchasing priority. Americans are growing more concerned about diet and health, according to one survey ...
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11/24/2008
In the era of healthier foods, it’s interesting to note that Thanksgiving dinner—already adrift in gravy, whipped cream, brown-sugar-and-butter glazing and cheese sauces—has taken yet another cruise down the Less-Than-Optimal-Nutrition River. Not content, or just not patient enough, to slowly roast and baste the bird the good old-fashioned way, we are now drowning poor Tom Turkey ...
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11/18/2008
Move over Melon, Arugula, and Serrano Ham with Smoked Paprika Dressing, here comes Spam and Eggs. A story in The New York Times notes that production of that rectangular, meatlike object is booming because the times aren’t.The article quotes a union spokesperson at Hormel’s Austin, MN plant as saying: “Spam seems to do well when hard times hit. We’ll probably see Spam lines ...
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