Food & Food Equipment News

Drinking Black Tea May Lower Blood Pressure, Aussie Study Finds

A six-month study by scientists at the University of Western Australia, Unilever and the National Health and Medical Research Council of Australia suggests that people who drink black tea throughout the day may get the benefit of a slight reduction in their blood pressure. Funding for the study was provided by the National Health and Medical Research Council of Australia and Unilever Research and Development, Vlaardingen, The Netherlands.

Before the study started, the participants' blood pressure throughout the day was about 121/72 millimeters of mercury (mm Hg). Blood pressure readings less than or equal to 120/180 mm Hg are considered normal.

The research, now published in the Archives of Internal Medicine, is the first of its kind to show that drinking black tea may have this effect.

"High blood pressure can significantly impact people's risk of developing cardiovascular disease, so this is a very significant discovery," said Prof. Jonathan Hodgson at UWA. "There is already mounting evidence that tea is good for your heart health, but this is an important discovery because it is evidence of a link between the two."

In the study, 95 Australian participants aged 35 to 75 were recruited to drink either three cups of  black tea or another beverage similar in taste and caffeine content, but not derived from tea, daily for six months.

After the six month period the research found that the tea drinkers' systolic (top number) and diastolic (bottom number) blood pressure fell between 2 and 3 mm Hg compared to non-tea drinkers.

More research is required to better understand how tea may reduce blood pressure, although earlier studies reported a potential link between tea consumption and the improved health of people's blood vessels.

"This is a hugely exciting development for us," said Jane Rycroft, Senior Nutrition and Health Manager at Unilever's Research & Development laboratories.

"This is further evidence to suggest that tea and its natural ingredients can help people become healthier. While a 2-3 mm Hg decrease is a small change to an individual's blood pressure, it's tantalising to think what positive impact this could have on reducing the risk of heart disease among the general public."

Tea is the second most consumed drink in the world, after water. Unilever is the world's largest tea company, making brands including Lipton and PG Tips. Every year, consumers in more than 130 countries drink 117 billion cups of Unilever tea.

Note: Individuals with high blood pressure should consult their physicians for medical advice and treatment.

Technomic: Consumers Trade Lunch From Restaurants for Food From Home

Spurred by the lingering effects of the recession, consumers are cutting back on away-from-home lunch purchases. More than a third of respondents (37 percent) say they've cut back on foodservice spending at lunch over the past year, and 31 percent say they are eating lunch at home more often. Lunch remains an important daypart for the foodservice industry, as 41 percent of consumers purchase lunch from a restaurant or other foodservice location at least once a week.

"Consumers are cutting back on away-from-home lunches primarily to save money," says Technomic Director of Consumer Research Sara Monnette. "Consumers across all age groups consider cost, value and specials when purchasing lunch at a restaurant. Restaurants can appeal to these consumers seeking value and help justify costs through higher quality and added convenience such as faster service."

To help operators and others aligned with the foodservice industry more effectively identify opportunities for growth and competitive advantage, Technomic developed the Canadian Lunch Consumer Trend Report.

Select findings include:

• Most consumers skip lunch at least once a week and 66 percent replace the meal with snacks at least once a week. Operators can likely appeal to consumers who frequently replace lunch with snacks by offering a greater selection of smaller-portioned and better-for-you options.
• Consumers are very brand loyal at lunch. Almost half (48 percent) say they primarily visit the same few familiar restaurants at lunch.
• 40 percent of consumers say they eat a wide variety of foods for lunch, suggesting that variety and customization options remain important ways for operators to keep customers coming back.
• A quarter of consumers call for more globally inspired food at lunch. Ethnic foods and flavours will not only appeal to these consumers, but also add variety and breadth to menus.
• 44 percent of consumers polled say they are always careful about how much they spend at restaurants for lunch and 42 percent expect some type of value/dollar menu.
• Limited- and full-service restaurants are taking cues from one another to emphasize value and variety at lunch; LSRs are serving larger portions or "more for your money" while FSRs have value menus and express concepts that focus on speed.

The 2012 Canadian Lunch Consumer Trend Report is a comprehensive guide to the lunch daypart. The Menu, Marketing and Concept Trends sections detail industry trends shaping lunch. The Consumer Insights section highlights results from 1,000 consumers, revealing information about lunch consumption, purchasing behaviour, attitudes and preferences. The Competitive Insights section identifies what consumers find most appealing about the lunch options at more than 35 leading limited- and full-service chains.

To purchase or learn more about the Canadian Lunch Consumer Trend Report please visit Technomic.com or contact one of the individuals listed below.

Loyal Lunchers Want Variety, Technomic Lunch Consumer Trend Report Says

Almost half (47 percent) of consumers say they primarily visit the same few familiar restaurants at lunch.

However, 2 out of 5 say they like to eat a wide variety of foods at their favorite lunch-time spots, indicating the importance of variety and customization options, according to Technomic’s Lunch Consumer Trend Report (www.technomic.com)

Food & Beverage Processing Machinery Market Reports Package Published

What is the size of the food and beverage processing machinery market in different countries? How is the market divided into different types of products? Which products are growing fast? How the market has been developing? How does the future look like? What is the potential for the market? How do the indicators of doing business look like? How easily are the contracts being enforced, or what is the inflation rate and how is it developing? Answers to all these key questions and many more can be found in a new report package.

New research report package “Food and Beverage Processing Machinery–Global” prepared by Global Research & Data Services incorporates 63 food and beverage processing machinery market analyses from a wide range of countries across the globe. Each analysis gives a deep overview of the current situation, developments and future outlook of the food and beverage processing machinery market in the respective country. Each review covers total market value and volume for food and beverage processing machinery, market value and volume for food and beverage processing machinery by type, product prices. Furthermore, overall country overview, macroeconomic and key doing business indicators in each pertinent country are also provided.

Food and beverage processing machinery types covered include: brewery, chocolate, cocoa and confectionery, fruit, vegetable and nut, meat and poultry, pasta and bakery, sugar, other, and parts for food and beverage processing machinery.

Report Package Details:

Title: Food and Beverage Processing Machinery – Global

Published: March 1, 2012

Pages: 3087

Price: US$ 26,237

http://marketpublishers.com/report/industry/machinery_equipment/food_n_beverage_processing_machinery_global_globalresearch.html

Teens Don't Eat Enough Grains

Teens are not consuming enough whole grain foods, according to a recent study from the University of Minnesota at St. Paul and featured in the January issue of Food Nutrition & Science.

The study, that analyzed adolescents aged 12 to 19 years old in the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES, 1999-2004), found that less than one third consumed more than .5 whole grain ounce equivalents per day.

The most recent Dietary Guidelines for Americans, released in January 2011 recommends that all adults eat at least half their grains as whole grains—that's at least three-to-five servings of whole grains. Even children need two to three servings or more. According to the Whole Grains Council, consumption lags far behind these recommendations. For example, the average American eats less than one daily serving of whole grains, and some studies show that over 40 percent of Americans never eat whole grains at all.

"This is an opportunity for food companies, school nutrition programs and retailers to market the health benefits of grains and create easier access to products and recipes," says Phil Lempert, Founder of Food Nutrition & Science and CEO of The Lempert Report and SupermarketGuru.com. "Whole grain intake has been associated with improved chronic disease risk factors and weight status in adults, and we know that healthy food habits start young."

Also in this month's Food Nutrition & Science, an article on how food apps are connecting younger consumers to shopping and cooking. The article highlights Truffehead, an app that features more than 260 recipes, comprehensive information on ingredients and kitchen tools, step-by-step demos and sustainability tips, user forums, and more. Although Trufflehead's recipes are appealing for any cooking level, its architecture was designed specifically for inexperienced and intermediate cooks.

"People tend to consume less and eat more healthfully at home than in restaurants, so cooking is virtually essential to maintaining a healthy weight and it's also fun," says Lempert. "I applaud these apps that help consumers shop smarter, eat healthier, learn to cook and better understand the products and food they're selecting from."

January's Food Nutrition & Science also includes information about the Australis Barramundi, also known as the "sustainable seabass," a fish that is growing in popularity due to its low toxin levels, delicious taste, and high levels of heart and brain-healthy omega-3's. In addition, barramundi can thrive on a vegetarian diet and are naturally disease resistant. 

Results from a recent The Lempert Report consumer panel found that just under half of consumers (46 percent) have increased the amount of fish in their diet in the past year; 39 percent say the amount of fish they eat has stayed the same. Those who answered yes to eating more fish in the past year have done so because "it's healthy" (20 percent), they "love the taste" (12 percent), they are "eating less meat protein and switching to fish" (18 percent), or they want to increase their "omega" intake (10 percent).

Lempert adds, "There's a lot of confusion about fish and I think we would see an increase in consumption if consumers better understood what type to eat, how often, and which fish are the safest. This is a great opportunity for retailers and even an app maker who can help consumers make fish choices."

Among other articles in this month's Food Nutrition & Science, the results of a Washington State University study that suggests the carbon footprint of beef is shrinking. The study compared today's beef production impact to that of the production system in 1977, revealing some striking improvements in current practices.

Published in a recent issue of the Journal of Animal Science, the study found that, compared to beef production in the 70s, each pound of beef raised in 2007 used 33 percent less land, 12 percent less water, 19 percent less feed and 9 percent less fossil fuel energy. Waste outputs were similarly reduced, shrinking the carbon footprint of beef by 16.3 percent in 30 years.

Start of Snack Foods Trend: Sprouted Ingredients for Increased Nutritional Content

In September, Live Better Brands LLC announced the development and release of the Way Better Snacks® product line, which incorporates sprouted—or germinated—grains, seeds and beans for a more nutritious snack food alternative.

The product line has received an enthusiast reception in the food industry because of its sprouted ingredients. And, as of January, Way Better Snacks will be at all Wegman's locations, 1,000 additional specialty grocery stores and distributed nationally through Whole Foods.

Live Better Brands LLC. believes that sprouted ingredients are the next health trend in the food industry, and here's why: 

Grain, vegetable and bean seeds are packed with nutrition but in order to fully take advantage of those nutrients they have to be made available for our bodies to process first. Seeds are designed to survive the rigors of nature before they embed themselves and take root and are covered with a protective layer of phytic acid—a substance present in the bran of all grains and seeds that can inhibit some absorption of calcium, magnesium, iron, copper, and zinc—and enzyme inhibitors to help protect them and ensure they are able to fulfill their destiny to sprout.

Nature doesn't want the seed to germinate before its time so it literally locks down the nutrients to ensure this doesn't happen. This is called enzyme inhibition.

When we eat seeds and grains, these inhibitors can prevent the formation of enzymes in our digestive tract, interfering with the body's ability to effectively digest and absorb them.

Nutritionists and naturalists have been touting the incredible nutritional benefits of sprouting for years because sprouting unlocks all the "good" that is inherent in all grains, seeds and beans and brings them back to life (nutritionally speaking). So, Live Better Brands LLC. listened and decided to add them to snack foods to make them more nutritionally wholesome.

Here are just some of the benefits of sprouted—or germinated—seeds:

• Sprouting the seed increases its nutrients and the natural inhibitors that protect it from digestion are greatly reduced, or eliminated.
• All of the plant proteins, oils, starches and vitamins are now bioavailable for human digestion, resulting in better nutritional absorption.
• Sprouting is the only way to increase the vitamin, mineral and lignan content of flax and naturally stabilize the Omega-3 and other essential fatty acids.

Historically snack foods have a bad reputation. Typically loaded with additives, preservatives, sugar, sodium, highly processed ingredient—and equally light in any sort of nutritional value or healthy attributes. Live Better Brands LLC believed that there was a way to make a more nutritious snack food and that's what they set out to do. By including sprouted ingredients like flaxseed, chia seeds, quinoa, black beans, broccoli seeds and daikon radish seeds, Way Better Snacks built a better tortilla chip. In addition to the sprouted ingredients, the tortilla chips are also certified gluten free, non-GMO, certified 100 percent whole grain, certified kosher and low sodium.

Fast Casuals Hold Bright Spot in Restaurant Industry, Technomic says

The lackluster economy may have dampened growth for the restaurant industry at large, but fast casual restaurants continue to stand out as one notable exception. With $27 billion in annual sales, food industry consultants Technomic point out that fast casual restaurants now represent 14 percent of all quick-service restaurant sales, compared to 5 percent just 10 years ago. They are expected to continue outpacing the industry over the next five years, when fast casual growth is forecasted to compound 8 percent annually.

"The fast casual segment is still evolving in ways that are strongly influencing all sectors of the restaurant industry," said Technomic VP Joe Pawlak, speaking to members of its Foodservice Planning Program. "While we categorize them among limited-service restaurants, they also compete strongly with full-service casual dining on several dimensions."

“Full- and quick-service operators continue to adapt and reposition their concepts toward areas in which fast casual has been effective with consumers," explained co-presenter Darren Tristano, Technomic EVP. "This shift will likely blur the definition of fast casual in the eyes of consumers and increase competition in the segment."

Fast casual restaurants share a fast-food service system and strong takeout orientation. Check averages tend to be under $9. Technomic breaks the segment down further into categories that include bakery cafes, Mexican/Southwest, specialty, sandwich, chicken, and burger concepts.

Panera Bread currently leads the category in total sales, at nearly $3 billion in 2010. Six of the fastest-growing restaurant chains (on a percentage basis) in the entire industry are fast-casual concepts, including Five Guys, Chipotle, Wing Stop, Qdoba, Pei Wei, and Noodles & Company.

In its presentation to food supplier members of its Foodservice Planning Program, Technomic summarized the many aspects of fast casual's consumer appeal in terms of 10Fs, which include: 

• Food quality
• Fine ingredients
• "Fitter," wholesome food
• Fresh
• First-rate decor
• Fair price
• Fast service
• Friendly employees
• Flexible offerings
• Full-view preparation

Attendees received insights on how consumers rank fast-casual restaurants on these and other dimensions, the competitive impact this is having on other segments of the restaurant industry, and recommended action steps for foodservice suppliers.

Trends and Directions in the Fast Casual Segment was one of three research presentations delivered to Foodservice Planning Program members at their January 2012 meeting. Other study topics were Update on the Foodservice Consumer and Social Media, and Evaluating Club Stores, Cash-and-Carries and Depots as Foodservice Supply Sources.

To learn more about Technomic's Foodservice Planning Program, contact Joe Pawlak at 312-506-3940 or jpawlak@technomic.com.

MZ Advertising Launches RestaurantCatchup.com

Full-service agency MZ Advertising has recently launched RestaurantCatchup.com, a blog devoted to all that is QSR, sit-down and everything in-between in the restaurant world.

Serving as an informative and entertaining snapshot of the restaurant category, the blog contains commentary on the latest sales trends, news, marketing programs, advertising campaigns and new products, as well as quirky and fun stories.

“Restaurants are in our DNA,” said MZ President and CEO Richard Zien. "We’ve made food our passion through creating award-winning, sales-generating work for such brands as Carl’s Jr., Taco Bueno, Hardee’s and many others over the last 20 years. As one of the preeminent QSR ad agencies in America, we have a tremendous amount of knowledge and insight into the restaurant category, so we created the blog.”

Written by MZ Director of Brand Analysis Gary Rothlein, RestaurantCatchup.com will be updated on a regular basis. Readers are encouraged to subscribe and comment on stories.

“We hope to build a virtual community of people interested in, and who appreciate, the restaurant business,” said Zien.

Consumers Place Premium on Value for Dinner, Late-Night Dining, Technomic Finds

In the past year, 40 percent of consumers have cut back on away-from-home dinner purchases, largely because they have less money to spend on dining out. When weighing dine-out options, today's consumers are more likely to choose restaurants based on the availability of frequent diner programs (31 percent vs. 23 percent in 2009) and happy hour deals (24 percent vs. 21 percent in 2009). As a result of consumers' decrease in away-from-home dinner purchases, it is vital for operators and suppliers to stay on top of dinner and late-night trends, such as combo meals, smaller portions or shareable items, in order to more effectively identify opportunities of growth. 

"It's imperative for operators to recognize the importance of today's value equation," says Technomic EVP Darren Tristano. "Drawing dinner and late-night traffic now means exploring new ways to underscore value beyond low prices. Operators may be able to boost dinner sales by strengthening their overall value with other pricing strategies, such as specials or combo meals."

To help operators and others aligned with the foodservice industry more effectively identify opportunities for growth and competitive advantage, Technomic has developed the Dinner and Late-Night Consumer Trend Report.

Interesting findings include:

• 71 percent of consumers skip dinner at least sometimes, citing lack of hunger or eating a late lunch instead of dinner, which could allow for smaller portions or shareable menu items as opportunities for operators to boost incremental traffic and sales during the dinner daypart.
• Operators and suppliers are emphasizing late-night menus by developing a new mix of craveable options to draw customers in after hours. Smaller portions, mix-and-match options, and shareable samplers meet the needs of a younger millennial customer base that tends to congregate over food and drinks during late-night hours.
• Value is the key positioning for dinner entrées in limited-service restaurants. Lower-priced items that can easily be bundled for a quick and affordable meal for one person or a whole family are the focus for LSR dinner menus.
• Full-service restaurants are promoting dinner values, with bundled meals and affordably priced family dinners to go, while also emphasizing "premium" as part of the value equation for entrées. To boost check averages, adult beverages, appetizers and desserts are also essential marketing components for FSRs.

Technomic's Dinner and Late-Night Consumer Trend Report examines preferences, attitudes, and purchasing behavior regarding dinner and late-night occasions. The menu insights section utilizes Technomic's exclusive MenuMonitor database to provide an in-depth look at dinner menu trends at Top 500 and emerging LSRs and FSRs. The consumer insights section examines dinner and late-night patronage, purchasing behavior, attitudes and preference of more than 1,500 consumers. Additionally, data from Technomic's 2008 Dinner Consumer Trend Report is discussed throughout the report to provide a benchmark for key trends. Appendices include detailed concept and menu profiles for 20 chains with an innovative approach to dinner and late-night offerings as well as full demographic profiles of consumers who patronize 45 leading limited- and full-service restaurants at dinner.

To purchase or learn more about this report please visit Technomic.com or contact one of the individuals listed below.

More Than Half of American Households Eat Fast Food 2 or More Times a Month

HealthyWomen, the nation's leading nonprofit health information source for women, and Allrecipes, the world's No. 1 digital food brand, joined forces to survey home cooks about their healthy eating habits and, in particular, fast food consumption. Findings from the 1,563 persons polled, who were largely female, showed more than 56 percent ate at fast food restaurants at least several times a month. Among those, nearly 15 percent ate fast food two or more times a week. As consumers ponder their New Year's resolutions, cutting back on fast food meals is one way to reduce weight and improve health.

"The majority of respondents, 75 percent, say they pay more attention to eating healthy now than they did five years ago," said Elizabeth Battaglino Cahill, R.N., Executive Director of HealthyWomen. "Unfortunately, the quick stops at fast food restaurants often sabotage their efforts."

Indeed, the majority of respondents (54 percent) admitted they feel "a bit guilty" after eating fast food and another 16 percent say they just feel "bad."

So why stop at the fast-food drive thru? Half of the survey's respondents said convenience to accommodate busy schedules and faster meal availability were the top reasons for eating fast food instead of cooking at home. To skip a fast food meal and instead cook a healthy meal at home, 83 percent said it would have to be prepared in 30 minutes or less.

"We understand how pressed for time most women are these days," said Lisa Sharples, President of Allrecipes. "That's why we make sure Allrecipes' sites and apps provide quick, easy access to thousands of fast, easy, affordable and great-tasting recipes that can be made in under 30 minutes."

Nearly half of survey respondents (47 percent) report the most challenging aspect of eating healthy is finding recipes that are healthy, affordable and easy to make. Finding recipes that are flavorful and healthy is the biggest challenge cited by nearly one-third.  Allrecipes provides nutritional data for recipes featured on the site. For those cooks looking for a more sophisticated set of tools, Allrecipes' Supporting Membership provides access to a customized meal planner with detailed nutrition for thousands of menus; subscribers can also quickly and easily locate recipes to match exact dietary needs using the nutrition search tool.

For quick and healthy recipes, easy snacks, tips for losing weight and insights about foods to boost brainpower, consumers can visit www.HealthyWomen.org/healthyeating and www.Allrecipes.com/features/new-year-new-you.

The study was conducted from Nov. 8-14 among 1,563 Allrecipes community members. Visit Allrecipes' Fresh Bites blog to read a complete survey overview in the January issue of Allrecipes' Measuring Cup Consumer Trends Report.