Food Values, Technological Innovations, Savvy Consumers Will Power Major U.S. Food and Nutrition Trends To Watch in 2018

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: January 3, 2018 WASHINGTON, D.C. — Food waste, digital and online innovations, and consumer values are expected to drive some of the major food and nutrition trends in 2018, according to the International Food Information Council (IFIC) Foundation. “The rise of the connected consumer and technological advances will help redraw the food landscape in 2018,” said Joseph Clayton, CEO of the IFIC Foundation. “As our values move to the forefront in our decisions about what to purchase and consume, we will find a marketplace that is enhanced by innovation and is more aligned with our individual needs and desires.” Drawing from its in-house survey research and health professional expertise, along with other data and observations, the IFIC Foundation has identified several hot topics for the New Year: Waste Not, Want Not By some estimates, about 40 percent of food produced for our consumption never reaches a human stomach. IFIC Foundation research suggests that food waste is both an educational challenge and opportunity among consumers that more players in the food system appear poised to embrace, with food purveyors stepping up their own commitments to address the problem. Growing awareness and concern about sustainability in general and the impacts of food waste in particular — environmental, economic, humanitarian — are indicative of broader interest in food values. Seafood sustainability is a specific area of concern, as consumers better appreciate the health benefits of seafood but also want it to be produced responsibly and sustainably.  “Boom” Goes the Internet: Virtual Shopping Is an Increasing Reality If you thought a lot of food was being purchased via the internet and apps already, you ain’t seen nothing yet! While the food sector as a whole notes relatively modest gains year over year, business is booming online. There are more ways than […]

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Food Packaging and the Quality of Your Food

When we go to the grocery store and buy products such canned soups, cookies, juice and other foods and beverages, we interact with different forms of food packaging. For example, milk is usually packaged in plastic or glass, but shelf-stable versions of the product may also be found in packaging such as cans. Food packaging is durable, strong, and protective, and it also plays a role in safety, convenience, efficiency, and consumer information. It additionally acts to block light and protect nutrients and colors in food products—keeping a food’s quality consistent throughout a product’s shelf life. The packaging options offered by food and beverage producers have changed over time to meet the demands of consumers and enhance manufacturing productivity. Milk is a great example of how food and beverage packaging has changed over time. In the early 1950s, milk was delivered to people’s homes in glass bottles. Today, having a visit from a milk man is not the norm and the glass packaging has since transitioned to High Density Poly Ethylene (HDPE) plastic. Milk may also be packaged in a plastic-paper combination (paper carton with a plastic liner) that allows for an even longer shelf life. To understand how different forms of packaging allow for quality and reliability, let’s break down some of the main forms of packaging material. Paper Paper may be the oldest form of food packaging, dating back to the first or second century BCE, when it was used by the Chinese to wrap their food. Over the next 1,500 years, materials from bark and flax fibers to linen rags and wood pulp were used. During this time, the first commercial cardboard was invented to replace wooden crates used for trade. The paperboard carton was invented in the 1870s and became popular in making cereal cartons. Paper […]

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International Food Information Council Expands Food, Nutrition & Agriculture Expertise To Advance Its Mission, Serving The Public Good

IFIC Welcomes New Board of Trustees and Milton Stokes, PhD, MPH, RD, FAND as IFIC Senior Director, Food & Nutrition  (Washington, D.C.) — The International Food Information Council (IFIC) recently expanded its team and confirmed a new slate of Trustees to further strengthen its food, nutrition, and agriculture expertise as well as guide and execute its new strategic vision. IFIC is led by a public-private Board of Trustees comprised of academic and food industry leaders with expertise in nutrition, food safety, risk communications and biotechnology, along with government liaisons. The majority of IFIC’s Board is comprised of independent academic researchers.   As a food-focused research and educational nonprofit under new executive leadership, IFIC is set to release new consumer behavioral research and insights; enhance its science communication capabilities, including its digital and social media platforms; and broaden its multi-sector stakeholder engagement partnership platform this year. IFIC remains proactively invested in the mission-driven priorities most necessary and valuable to support multiple stakeholder needs, including those of consumers, in making informed food decisions.  “IFIC’s mission is to effectively communicate accurate and actionable information at the intersection of science, food, and the consumer,” said IFIC President & CEO Wendy Reinhardt Kapsak, MS, RDN. “Through best-in-class consumer research, science communications and convening thought leadership, we look forward to working with our Trustees to advance the food systems dialogue and science-based decision-making.”   At the December 2023 Annual Meeting, IFIC confirmed the following Board of Trustees:   A full list of IFIC Trustees and Public Liaisons can be found here.   Additionally, IFIC named Milton Stokes, PhD, MPH, RD, FAND as Senior Director, Food & Nutrition. Stokes will lead the organization’s food and nutrition strategy in support of its mission to effectively communicate science-based information on food safety, nutrition, and sustainable food systems.   A registered dietitian and communications professional, […]

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A Closer Look at Meat Safety During COVID-19

Summer may be grilling season, but while we’re in the middle of the COVID-19 pandemic, many of us are looking to buy and cook food and host gatherings in different ways. World health authorities are putting an emphasis on safe food handling (which includes frequent hand washing), social distancing, and mask wearing. All of these practices are noted as being potentially helpful in minimizing germ transfer, including transmission of the novel coronavirus. Still, while we look to plan meals, many of us may also be concerned about the safety of the meat that is on the shelves in our local markets. Or, we may wonder about the safety of the meat dishes on menus at our favorite drive-thru or takeout places. If your “meat-inquiring mind” wants to know more about how safe our meat supply is, read on. Food safety regulators speak out In the midst of the pandemic, many media outlets have been reporting on the health status of farmers, ranchers and meat-processing-facility workers. With this news coverage, questions have arisen about the novel coronavirus being transferred to consumers via meat products and packaging. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), the World Health Organization, and many other international health organizations have affirmed repeatedly for many months that the coronavirus is not transmitted to people via food products, and their confidence includes foods that may have been handled by potentially infected food system workers. The primary method of transmission of the coronavirus is via person-to-person contact that promotes the spread of respiratory droplets (the body’s carrier of the coronavirus). The FDA’s most recent statement (issued on June 24, 2020) notes, “The United States understands the concerns of consumers here domestically and around the world who want to know that producers, processors and regulators are taking every necessary precaution to […]

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Heavy Metals

Hearing more about heavy metals and want to get up to speed? Explore the IFIC Heavy Metals Toolkit, where you’ll find insights, continuing education and evidence-based resources to help improve understanding about heavy metals in food, their potential health impact and the steps being taken to monitor and reduce their presence in the food supply.

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2022 Food & Health Survey: Diets, Food Prices, Stress and the Power of Gen Z

(Washington, D.C.) — Major changes in Americans’ food attitudes and behaviors are emerging in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, according to the 2022 Food & Health Survey conducted by the International Food Information Council (IFIC).  The 17th annual survey of U.S. consumers has revealed a substantial impact of stress on the way we eat, significant increases in the adoption of specific diets and eating patterns, concerns over food and beverage prices, and the food priorities and buying power of Gen Z.  “Even more so than in past years, the 2022 Food & Health Survey is showing sharp changes, over a relatively short period, in many of our beliefs and behaviors when it comes to the foods we purchase and consume,” said IFIC CEO Joseph Clayton. “Some of these changes are clearly attributable to the lasting scars of the pandemic, while others bear all the hallmarks of significant generational shifts,” he added.  The 2022 Survey involved 1,005 adults ages 18–80, and for the first time it also included an oversample of adult Gen Z consumers, ages 18-24.   The Emerging Influence of Gen Z  Gen Z might be the youngest cohort of adults, but they are beginning to flex their consumer muscle in ways that previously haven’t been seen, driving attitude changes on sustainability and the environment across the broader population. Nearly three-quarters (73%) of Gen Z believe that their generation is more concerned about the environmental impact of food choices than other generations, followed closely by Millennials (71%), with whom they share many perspectives and common purchasing behaviors. Compared with Baby Boomers, Gen Z is more likely to purchase products labeled as “Small carbon footprint/carbon neutral” and “Plant-based.”   And yet, some of Gen Z’s viewpoints may come as a surprise: compared with Millennials, they are less likely to believe that […]

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Celebrating Women Food Scientists During Women’s History Month

It should come as no surprise that women have been shaping food science for centuries. From food-product packaging to animal handling to plant genetics, women have had a hand in many innovations that have helped make today’s food system vast, safe, and healthy. March is Women’s History Month, and this year we’re highlighting two spectacular women in food science—one who revolutionized frozen food safety and another who harnessed plant science to impact the health of millions. Dr. Mary Engle Pennington Sometimes referred to as the “Ice Woman,” Dr. Mary Engle Pennington played a pivotal role in refrigerated and frozen food safety in the early 20th century. Born in 1872, Dr. Pennington was refused a bachelor’s degree by the University of Pennsylvania in 1892 because of her gender. However, she persisted and received a certificate of proficiency in chemistry and then continued her studies to garner her doctorate in chemistry at the university in 1895. Following the passage of the 1906 Pure Food and Drugs Act, Dr. Pennington became the U.S. Food and Drug Administration’s (FDA) first woman lab chief, heading up the Bureau of Chemistry’s Food Research Lab. During her time at the FDA, Pennington revolutionized cold food storage, discovering that fresh foods that are consistently kept at a low temperature last longer than those that go through multiple temperature fluctuations. This finding was particularly important for the transportation of food products like cheese, milk, and eggs; if these foods were kept at a consistent temperature from starting location to their final destination, their bacteria levels stayed low and they were less likely to spoil. Pennington’s discovery led to the development of refrigerated transport as a means to maintain low temperatures over long distances, as well as an upgrade to home refrigeration, which began to use technology similar to that […]

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It’s Not You, It’s Me: Navigating Americans’ Food & Nutrition Trust Issues

We have trust issues. One of the starkest findings from the latest IFIC Spotlight Survey, “Americans’ Trust In Food & Nutrition Science,” is that less than four in 10 Americans say they strongly trust science about food, nutrition, and/or diet. Trust is everything. In the actions of daily living. In relationships. And yes…in science. And it is also paramount in effective communication. Because communication is a two-way street, communicating effectively is not just about how information is translated and delivered but also how it is received. If food and nutrition information is not trusted, it is unlikely to be considered or acted upon. Fortunately, our recent survey provides some important insights on how to rebuild consumer trust. Cracks In Consumer Confidence Three themes emerged as potential factors in diminishing consumer trust in food and nutrition science. Junk Communication Consumers grapple with a confusing and often untrustworthy messaging environment. Some food and nutrition communications convey their displeasure with “junk food,” yet “junk communication” inundates consumers daily. From anecdotal evidence to the overpromotion of single studies to outright misinformation, the nutrition landscape is rife with misleading messages. What topics generate more outrageous headlines than those about food and nutrition? Science is a process or a journey—not an outcome or a destination. It is crucial to remember that evidence is always evolving. As expert food and nutrition communicators, we must emotionally connect with our audience, provide context and facts, and share action-oriented recommendations, inspiring confidence. Still, trust does not require blind faith. Americans should be discerning consumers and understand there is room for skepticism and open dialogue. What we do not want is for distrust to feed a lack of motivation to act in ways inconsistent with personal and public health. Some Good News The good news is that, despite the confusion and negative […]

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