Top Trends at IFT12

The IFT Annual Meeting & Food Expo was once again the year’s leading showcase for the top trends in food ingredient marketing. Held at the Las Vegas Convention Center in late June, the annual trade show of the Institute of Food Technologists featured over 1,000 ingredient manufacturers exhibiting their latest products and solutions for the food industry.

This year was dominated by a single leading trend: reduction. Keith Nunes, executive editor of Food Business News, called this year’s show, “The Reduction Show.” Indeed, it seemed like nearly every exhibitor offered an ingredient product or solution to help food manufacturers reduce at least one or more of the “unholy trinity” of salt, sugar and fat from their food products.

Nu-Tek Booth CroppedLeading the show were ingredient solutions to reduce sodium in manufactured and processed foods.  One of the clear leaders in sodium reduction was Nu-Tek Food Science, who’s Advanced Formula Potassium Chloride provided customers with a sodium-reduction technology that promised a clean label and cost-effective benefits along with consistent manufacturing results.

Exhibitors also showcased prominent ingredient offerings for reducing sugar and fat. Spice companies and ingredient blenders led the way with multiple offerings that often combined several ingredients in one package to reduce sugar, fat and calories from existing formulations.

Expect to see these trends dominate food ingredient marketing during the remainder of 2012. As in year’s past, the annual IFT show will set the major trends in marketing and communications for the year ahead.