Natural & Organic

Many baked goods found in gourmet markets today cater to individuals with special dietary needs, and the demand for gluten-free and/or dairy-free items is growing every year. Classic baked items can be transformed to fit niche industry needs, but it does take some trial, error and R&D to ensure final functionality.Lace cookies were given their name because of the unique ...

Have you ever wondered why new ingredients are created? Which comes first, the ingredient or the problem that the ingredient was created to solve? This classic chicken-or-egg question has important implications for how the ingredient is researched and ultimately marketed. Unlike finished goods sold at retail and in foodservice, industrial ingredients are more likely to come into being due to ...

Beef burgers aren’t the only ones making headlines. Shane Maack, senior executive chef, Gilroy Foods & Flavors, has seen burgers made from fish, seafood, chicken, turkey and even duck, in addition to vegetarian patties. Build-your-own burger chain The Counter is following this trend, featuring a Maryland-style Crab Cake Burger with bacon coleslaw, tomato, red onion and lemon-basil tartar sauce as ...

From morning oatmeal to whole-wheat sandwich breads and bowls of whole-grain pasta—and beyond—whole grains are finally stepping out of the shadow of their refined cousins. And although this trend started in retail, diners are now seeking whole grains at America’s chain restaurants.POISED FOR GROWTHAccording to the 2009 National Restaurant Industry Forecast from the National Restaurant Association (NRA), three in four ...

Ancient grains, such as quinoa, Kamut, quinoa, barley and farro, also are showing up in greater numbers on menus. In NRA’s 2009 Chef Survey, the 1,600 chefs surveyed tapped quinoa as the No. 1 trend in the “Sides/Starches” category, and ancient grains came in at No. 3 in the “Other Food Items/Ingredients” category.In fine dining, notes Cynthia Harriman, director of ...