Instore - December 2018 - 46

feature

Nutrition scientist Marissa
McCormick spoke about whole
grains' potential role in weight loss.

consumption was not associated with heart disease risk. Eliminating
gluten from the diet also might restrict the amount of fiber people eat,
Ms. Zelman said.
Kevin Miller, Ph.D., principal scientist for General Mills, spoke
about keeping as many nutrients in whole grains as possible during
processing. Industry will continue to process grains as it makes whole
grains more digestible and palatable, extends their shelf life, and
removes food safety issues, he said.

"There are hundreds of studies that
substantiate the health benefits of
whole grains. Some scientists would
call this solved science."
Kathleen Zelman, WebMD

"They cook so much more than any other generation," she said. "They
know so much more about food than any other generation."
Their cooking choices may be adventurous. Generation Z is the most
ethnically diverse generation ever, Ms. Donnelly said.
"They are curious about the new foods based on their surroundings,"
she said. "Their friends have different ethnic backgrounds. They go
over to each other's homes, and they see these different things, and
they are curious: 'Well, that kid seems to like it. So I'm going to try it.'"
Nutrition is important to them. They might even take a few moments
to hear about the cardiovascular benefits of whole grains.

Stability varies by nutrient. Vitamin K and vitamin A are more sensitive to heat, he said, and vitamin B2 and vitamin E are more stable.
When applications require a lot of heat and oxygen, the more stable
nutrients may be added into the dough, Dr. Miller said. Other less
stable nutrients could be applied by spray later.
Baking may degrade 5% to 30% of a nutrient, depending on the
nutrient, which might keep products from reaching packaging claims.
If packaging says a product provides 20% of the Daily Value, the 20%
must still be in the product at the end of shelf life. Bakers, to meet the
stated Daily Value, may want to turn to overages, or initially putting in
more than 20% of the Daily Value for example, Dr. Miller said.

Exhibit A in potential ways to increase whole grain consumption
could be Generation Z.
"I feel like we're really poised as whole grains people to take advantage of this generation," Coleen Donnelly, corporate chef for the K-12
education segment for InHarvest, said Nov. 4 at the Whole Grains
Council Conference in Seattle. "They are ready for us, and we are
ready for them."
Melissa Abbott, vice-president of culinary insights for the Hartman
Group, said she considered Generation Z to include people from birth
to age 20.
46 * DECEMBER 2018 * instore

Those in Generation Z are food brand agnostic, Ms. Abbott said. They
have grown up with store brands such as Trader Joe's and Kroger's
Simple Truth.
"To them, it doesn't mean lower quality," Ms. Abbott said. "It can mean
a better value."
Both Ms. Abbott and Ms. Donnelly stressed the importance of the cell
phone to Generation Z. Millennials quickly became a digital generation, but Generation Z has never known a world without the multiple
ways to connect on the cell phone.
"They are always taking snapshots," Ms. Donnelly said. "They are
always looking for that fun flavor combination that really is going to
resonate with them and therefore their friends."
When they search for new food ideas, they scroll on BuzzFeed, Tasty
or Delish instead of recipe web sites or cookbooks, Ms. Abbott said.
"The younger consumer is so much more interested in visual, not the
words," she said.

JEFF GELSKI - SOSLAND PUBLISHING COMPANY

Tapping into Gen Z

"Generation Z, you can actually say, 'It's good for you,' and they don't
turn their nose up," Ms. Donnelly said. "That was a light bulb moment
for me. The kids say, 'Oh, it's good for you?' I was like, when did this
happen? What year is this?"

Instore - December 2018

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