With flavor being the product of a complicated, multilayered collection of ingredients and chemical compounds that interact as aromas and individual flavor notes in synchronicity, the task of masking one specific flavor note can be difficult. A greater challenge for today’s processors is that the technique applied must be low-cost, allergen-free, and naturally derived (clean-label), and the result must survive processing.

Today’s consumer recognizes that Asian Cuisine is made of a complex web of interrelated relationships of molecular compounds, ingredients, cooking methods and techniques within cultural contexts that are at the same time unique and similar in resulting flavor experiences.

Prepared cooking sauces remain popular for consumers and represent a $190 million category; up +6% versus prior year (Nielsen: Total U.S. x AOC 52 Weeks Ending 4/25/20). With exception of 2020’s shelter-in-place, Americans are spending less time preparing meals at home and cooking sauces represent a convenient alternative to creating recipes from scratch.

Consumer palates are becoming more adventurous and sophisticated. The holistic health and wellness movement has been a key driver in evolving flavor preferences because consumers are more willing to try ingredients with inherently functional benefits. To create a health halo around products, brands are incorporating fresh fruit flavors, botanicals and superfoods into beverages.

There is a massive demand for protein and many product developers are turning to beef to meet the demand. As with the rest of the food industry, the meat industry is evolving to meet new consumer needs and preferences in this increasingly globalized economy.

Stock is defined as a cooking liquid that is flavored by simmering animal bones and/or meat, fish, in water or wine with vegetables typically comprised of onion, celery, and carrots (also known as mirepoix) and sometimes other vegetables (or vegetables alone) until a desired flavor is achieved. The classic stock flavorings are beef, chicken, fish, and vegetable/mushroom/miso, and each type finds itself at various stages of use on today’s menus.

Now that the annual season of pumpkin spice, peppermint hot chocolate, and other holiday flavors of fall and winter has passed, research chefs and product developers are gearing up to embrace the food and flavor trend predictions for the new year. Eager to mine those predictions for nuggets of inspiration that will lead to new ideas and flavor profiles, chefs strive to please an increasingly adventurous, yet demanding, consumer.

American consumers are coming to recognize that the term “Latin cuisine” encompasses far more than the foods of Mexico and Central America or even the few dishes from South America that have hit the mainstream here.

With the recent jump in home cooking, the role of flavor has been especially magnified as food serves a magnified role in providing excitement, comfort, health, indulgence, self-care, and family bonding. All this means a new spice boom in 2021. Spice manufacturers have seen a dramatic spike in demand for their products.