IFT report — food industry trying to help our health?

I just attended a food industry ingredients show as part of my day job. It was fascinating to me to see all the ingredient companies pushing substitutes for salt, sugar or high fructose corn syrup.

Other companies were touting gluten-free, high fiber and protein source products. I left thinking the food business is starting to get the message that people want to eat healthier.

Or maybe it’s just worried the government will start regulating salt and fat content. Either way, the outcome hopefully will mean more products that those of us on restricted diets can eat and enjoy.

I happened to ride in a cab with a young woman who works for one company marketing lower sodium salt alternatives. She’d been trained as a nutritionist and said she wanted to help people live better lives, which was why she got into the food business.

Let’s hope she represents a new generation of food company executives who know they can still make a profit selling healthier low-salt, low-fat, low-sugar products.
John