LABELCALC® August '08 NEWSLETTER by Alyson Mar, FoodCalc Lead Dietitian
Industry News
Cracking down on Allergen Warnings
The FDA is in the process of simplifying allergen warning regulations to be more concise and uniform. These changes come in response to consumer concerns after experiencing allergic reactions from improperly labeled food products. They are encouraging food manufacturers to attend a public hearing to help determine exact wording and specifications for the warnings.
Questions about allergens? LabelCalc provides expert compliance review of food products to ensure accurate and compliant allergen warnings. Click here to learn more.
Read full Story: http://www.foodnavigator-usa.com/Financial-Industry/FDA-reviews-food-labeling-for-allergies/?c=%2FcXgDTs85jRYqRJKVujhIg%3D%3D
Fiber Crazy
Health benefits of fiber range from helping combat certain cancers to reducing cholesterol levels in the blood. Fiber has also been shown to help manage blood sugar levels in some diabetics, and aid in weight loss by increase satiety. Consumers are now looking at nutrition labels and focusing on the fiber content more than ever. The rise in popularity of fiber has lead to a dramatic increase in the US fiber market. Insoluble fiber dominates the market providing $176.2m of the $192.8m industry in 2004 ($16.6m for soluble fiber). Researchers predict that the fiber market is expected to double in 2011 to $470m, and that the popularity of soluble fiber, which has been shown to reduce the risk of heart disease is expected to increase from 13.1% to 26.3%.
Organically Pricy
With the cost of organic food products totaling 10%-50% more than their non-organic counterparts, food makers in the organic industry are starting to see their sales level off. While organic food sales have not necessarily begun to decline, the growth in the organic market has been leveling off since 2006. It is likely that many consumers will start to forego buying all organic products to cut back on staggering food costs, and just stick to the organic basics like milk, produce, and meat. Organic food is now facing competition from other consumer trends like locally grown foods, organic or not. Still, organics are holding their own in the marketplace. The organic food and beverage market is expected to generate $24 billion this year, and continue with about 18% annual growth through 2010.
Read Full Storey: http://www.usatoday.com/money/industries/food/2008-08-18-organic-food_N.htm?loc=interstitialskip
Claiming the Spotlight
Food companies should be very cautious when making claims about their products on their packaging. In a world where consumers often rely on marketing messages from manufacturers to make purchasing decisions, food companies are faced with the challenge of choosing the most enticing and relevant claims for their packaging. There are three different kinds of claims that food products can provide: health claims, which indicate a specific ingredient and its ability to reduce the risk of a particular disease (i.e. soluble fiber may help reduces the risk of heart disease); structure/function claims, that explain the direct effect of a nutrient’s role or function in the body (i.e. calcium helps promote bone health); and content claims that indicate significant amounts of a specific nutrient in a product (i.e. fat free).
A report from Food Business News suggests that structure/function claims are most influential on consumer purchasing decisions, but overall consumers base their decisions on their knowledge of the nutrient and condition that the claim is referring to, and how it relates to them.
With the latest consumer trends moving towards more natural and less processed foods, market experts are predicting that consumers may be steering away from the world of claims, and focusing more on the quality of the food. Laurie Demeritt, president and chief operating officer of The Hartman Group, Bellevue, Wash., suggests that consumers may shy away from wordy claims, and start looking at pictures on packaging to influence their buying choices.
Read Full Article: http://www.foodbusinessnews.net/Feature_stories.asp?ArticleID=95498
LabelCalc News
Only 12 days of spring savings left
Save 10% off all final LabelCalc purchases until August 31st!
In Light of LabelCalc’s 5 year anniversary we have been offering all new and past customers a 10% discount through the spring and summer months. But, as summer winds down, so does this amazing deal. Make sure to purchase your LabelCalc labels by August 31 to take advantage.
LabelCalc is now providing UPC barcodes!
LabelCalc has partnered with Simply Barcodes to provide our customers with UPC and EAN codes necessary for supermarket distribution within the United States. Look for links on the LabelCalc homepage in September.