Stonewall Kitchen Joins The GMO Label Movement

Maine-based specialty food producer Stonewall Kitchen says it will be rolling out label changes for the products it makes that contain GMO ingredients in time for the July 1 implementation of Vermont’s strict GMO label law. The company says most (90 percent) of its product line is already non-GMO, but some products contain GMO corn or soy. These will get the new labels. The company said new products will be in compliance by June, and existing products will reach store shelves “on a rolling basis” as soon as possible after that. GMO-containing ingredients in Stonewall Kitchen’s products include corn meal, soya oil, corn starch and beet sugar.

"Stonewall Kitchen to Label Products With Genetically Modified Organisms (GMOs)", News release, Stonewall Kitchen, April 18, 2016

Louisiana “Deaux Boys” Are A Newly Invented Cousin Of Po’ Boy Sandwiches

The Live Action Deli in Lafayette, La., has come up with a twist on the traditional po’ boy sandwich that replaces the French bread with an oversized glazed doughnut. Dubbed the “deaux boy,” the sandwiches can be filled with boudin (sausage made from pork liver and heart meat), bacon, fried chicken, cheese and even peanut butter and jelly. Where did the idea for deaux boys come from? The creators said, “We're basically just fat boys who love doughnuts and wanted to start a trend."

"Only in Louisiana! The doughnut po' boy", wwltv.com, April 26, 2016

Rhode Island Bakery Succeeds With Only One Product: Portuguese Muffins

Family-owned Central Bakery in Tiverton, R.I., has been producing a unique breakfast bread known as bolo levedo – and only bolo levedo – since 1967. An import from Portugal’s Azores Islands, bolo levedo resembles an English muffin, but lacks the nooks and crannies, and is spongier and sweeter. Thriving Central Bakery supplies the delicacy (known locally as the “3 Meal Muffin”) to area supermarkets and to notable chefs around the country who use the bread for burger and sandwich buns.

"From a family’s garage to the hands of celebrity chefs: a Portuguese muffin’s unlikely journey", Boston Globe, April 26, 2016

Start-Ups Prosper In “Clean Label” America At The Expense Of Big Food

A cluster of Chicago-area start-ups is profiting from health-conscious America’s growing demand for foods and drinks that are less processed, contain few ingredients, and fewer artificial ingredients and fillers. Gluten-free baking company Simple Mills is prospering following the “clean label” trend, with its products now in 3,000 stores in the U.S., making it the third largest American baker by revenue. RXBar, which makes, an all-natural protein bar, grew by 300 percent last year and expects similar growth in 2016. These companies are increasing market share as big food producers struggle to reformulate familiar product lines without hurting texture or flavor.

"Small Startups Profit from Clean Label Movement", Specialty Food, April 27, 2016

McDonald’s Cleans Up Its McNuggets Recipe

"McDonald's plans to launch 'cleaner' Chicken McNuggets", Crain’s Chicago Business, April 27, 2016

Hershey’s Continues Simplifying Its Ingredients

Following through on its 2015 promise to simplify the ingredients that go into its products, candy manufacturer Hershey’s has developed a new chocolate syrup that contains only five “simple” ingredients. Simply 5 Syrup contains cocoa, water, natural flavor from vanilla beans, cane sugar and cane syrup. It contains no high-fructose corn syrup, artificial preservatives or flavors, or GMOs. Since last year’s announcement, the company has simplified ingredients in more than 500 product SKUs, including the iconic Hershey's Kisses Milk Chocolates and Hershey's Milk Chocolate Bars.

"New Hershey’s Simply 5 Syrup Is Sweet And Simple With Just Five Ingredients", News release, The Hershey Company, May 02, 2016

Whole Foods Experiments With Traditional Salvadoran Masa-Based Dish

Whole Foods Market announced it is adding a traditional Salvadoran dish to its food truck test kitchen in Austin, Texas. Pupusas are thick, handmade cornmeal tortillas stuffed with cheeses and topped with meats and/or vegetables. The new Whole Foods menu includes vegetarian and vegan choices, plus cinnamon churros, grilled corn salad and plantain chips. Whole Foods culinary and prepared foods teams use the test kitchen to experiment with new ideas for store eateries, and to explore collaborations with chefs and supplier partners.

"Whole Foods Market food truck test kitchen in Austin announces pupusas as next menu feature", News release, Whole Foods Market, May 03, 2016

California Bakery Unveils Breads Made From Heirloom Grains

Los Angeles-based La Brea Bakery, which specializes in artisan bread baking, has unveiled a line of breads made from single origin heirloom grains. The company says its three La Brea Bakery Reserve breads (Pain de Campagne, Fortuna Wheat Loaf, and Struan) are the first to be available nationally. The heirloom grains, including Fortuna wheat, come from a family operated farm in Montana. Fortuna Wheat is a non-GMO heirloom grain grown for flavor rather than yield. Nothing is added or removed. The new line of heirloom breads is available at the La Brea Bakery Café in Los Angeles this spring, and will arrive in grocery stores across the country throughout 2016.

"La Brea Bakery Unveils New Farm-to-Table Bread: La Brea Bakery Reserve", News release, La Brea Bakery, May 04, 2016

FDA Survey: Consumers Do Check The Food Nutrition Label

An FDA health and diet survey regarding the usefulness of food label nutrition information found that 78 percent check the label at least sometimes before purchasing, and 50 percent check it most of the time or always. The agency is putting the finishing touches on a new version of the ubiquitous nutrition facts label found on foods and beverages to help achieve the goal of reducing obesity and salt intake. Almost 90 percent of adults surveyed indicated they consumed more sodium than was healthy. Seventy-five percent said supermarket foods had more, or about the same amount of, sodium they did five years ago.

"2014 FDA Health and Diet Survey", U.S. Food and Drug Administration, May 06, 2016

Vegan Creativity Leads To An Alternative To Egg Whites

Vegans have found it fairly easy to create substitutes for meat and other animal products. Their tinkering has led to almond milk, soy-based cheese, etc. Egg whites, however – an essential ingredient in so many baking delicacies, including meringues, macarons, angel food cake, etc. – were trickier to mimic, until last year’s discovery by a vegan software engineer of the wondrous abilities of chickpea water. Dubbed “aquafaba,” chickpea water and sugar can be whipped into a convincing substitute for egg whites. An instant Internet sensation ensued, spawning recipe books and websites. Now chefs all over the globe – and not just vegans, either – are using aquafaba in everything from pancakes to purées.

"Vegans Whip Up a Secret Weapon: Aquafaba", The New York Times, May 09, 2016

N.J. Bakery Transforms The Italian Rainbow Cookie Into A Doughnut

Yet another variation on the basic, simple product proves that doughnuts are endlessly malleable and mashable. A New Jersey bakery has taken a cue from the time-honored Italian rainbow cookie to create the rainbow cookie doughnut. The concoction is essentially three layers of marzipan and jelly doughnuts – green, white, and red – drizzled with a chocolate coating. The owner of the Glaze Doughnuts bakery, which sells 138 doughnut varieties, has also invented Nutella s'mores doughnuts and prosciutto and cantaloupe doughnuts.

"You Have to See What This Doughnut Looks Like When You Bite Into It", Cosmopolitan, May 10, 2016

Cage-Free Egg Movement Steams Ahead

The Walt Disney Co.’s theme parks and cruise line, and the Florida-based supermarket chain Winn-Dixie, announced they are implementing a cage-free eggs sourcing policy much earlier than other hospitality chains, restaurants and food retailers. Disney said its plan will be completed by the end of 2016, while Winn-Dixie’s private-label eggs will be cage-free by 2017, the rest by 2025. Most companies that have announced cage-free egg policies are giving themselves as much as ten years to put them in place. In recent weeks, the following companies have announced a transition to cage-free eggs over various timetables: 7-11; Dollar General; Dairy Queen; N.Y.-based Tops grocery chain; Texas-based H-E-B grocery chain; C&S Wholesale Grocers (Keene, N.H.); and grocery retailer SpartanNash (Grand Rapids, Mich.).

"Disney and Winn Dixie will use cage free eggs only", Orlando Sentinel , May 10, 2016

Tortillas Dethrone Sliced White Bread As The Sandwich-Making King

Perhaps it’s inevitable given recent demographic trends, but the tortilla has become the fastest-growing segment of the baking industry. The $12 billion-a-year phenomenon has deposed white sandwich bread as the top choice in America for making meat, vegetables, and condiments convenient to eat by hand. This has come about certainly because of the influx of Hispanic immigrants, but also because there has been “a lot of innovation in how tortillas are used and what they are being made out of,” according to a tortilla industry spokesman. Manufacturers have introduced more healthful whole wheat tortillas and low-carb/high-fiber tortillas. Consumers can find non-GMO, organic and gluten-free tortillas. Stores are also selling home-style tortillas and par-baked tortillas “for those who want a more authentic, made-from-scratch experience.”

"How did tortillas become the new white bread?", The Fresno Bee, May 10, 2016

Company Launches Healthful Baking Mixes With Natural Ingredients

New Zealand's Silver Fern Brand has launched 13 baking mixes sweetened with a proprietary low-glycemic blend of prebiotic fiber, tagatose, and other natural ingredients. The Paka baking mixes are high in fiber and protein, low in net carbs and calories, cholesterol- and trans-fat free, and fit most diet plans, including gluten free and diabetic, according to the company. The mixes include blueberry muffins, chocolate chip cookies, and lemon bars. They contain whole algae, non-gluten flour and other ingredients with monounsaturated fat and proteins. Other Silver Fern Brand products available now or over the next few months include protein shakes, protein powder, popcorn, chocolates, syrups and individual packages of Kakato sweetener.

"Silver Fern Brand Launches with Natural, No-Guilt Treats", News release, Silver Fern Brand, May 10, 2016

As Court Battles Rage Over GMO Label Law, Some Companies Quietly Comply

Some food companies have made a big deal of their decision to comply with a Vermont law requiring GMO ingredient labeling. But unlike Mars, Campbell Soup, and General Mills, PepsiCo is adding the labeling with no fanfare. Consumers Union said it noticed cans of Pepsi in New Hampshire whose label said the soda was “Partially Produced With Genetic Engineering.” The same notice was also found on Lay’s potato chips bags. All of this is occurring against a backdrop of litigation as food trade groups struggle to prevent the Vermont law from taking effect on July 1. So far their efforts have been stymied in the courts, but it’s anyone’s guess how the issue will be resolved.

"Pepsi, Frito-Lay Quietly Adding GMO Ingredient Labels To Some Foods", Consumerist, May 11, 2016

A New Lease On Life For Carb-Rich Pasta

Nielsen has found that the popularity of pasta is once again on the rise. Sales, which have declined steadily for years, increased 2.9 percent in the year that ended in early April. Google  Internet search data confirm that interest in pasta ticked upward in 2015 as users are “experimenting with new recipes and sauces that can be prepared at home or picked up at the grocery store.” Google also noted that online searchers want to understand the differences between “certain types of pasta and their accompanying sauces.” U.S. sales of rigatoni and other “short-cut pastas” grew by 3.6 percent in the past year, according to Nielsen, and Google proclaimed it’s time for marketers “to refocus their attention on pasta.”

"Pasta Is Making A Comeback, Sales Rise After Years Of Decline", BuzzFeed News, May 11, 2016

Hormel Applies “Clean Label” Plan Across Its Product Line

Hormel Foods Corporation’s new clean label initiative aims to simplify ingredient statements by removing or replacing artificial preservatives, colors, and flavors in many of its retail products without hurting flavor. The company says its Valley Fresh products, Compleats microwaveable meals, Always Tender meats and two side dishes were simplified. It is working to simplify ingredients for Hormel chili, Dinty Moore stew and SPAM products. Hormel says its Natural Choice meats were developed nine years ago with zero preservatives, no artificial colors or MSG, no nitrites or nitrates added, and no gluten.

"Hormel Foods Simplifies Ingredient Statements of Products", News release, Hormel Foods, May 13, 2016