Keep it Fresh - Kemin 2021 - 1

Keep it Fresh.
Keep it Safe.
Keep it Simple.
Explore clean-label ingredient solutions for tortillas and flatbreads,
meat and poultry, plant-based alternatives and salty snacks.
W
hile a drive-thru cheeseburger and
fries still appeals to hungry commuters
looking for a quick meal, many of
today's consumers are increasingly seeking out
better-for-you options to nourish and satiate. This
might be a homemade club sandwich packed with
a bag of multi-grain seeded pretzels or a made-toorder
grilled turkey wrap with chipotle-seasoned
sweet potato chips from the corner deli.
Retailers are assisting by growing their
packaged fresh foods to offer shoppers convenient
grab-and-go meals and snacks, everything from
a Southwest steak fajita salad complete with
crunchy tortilla strips to globally inspired proteinpacked
snack kits, such as one that contains
hummus, Mediterranean-seasoned chicken cubes
and flatbread. Plant-based proteins are entering
this space with microwaveable, breaded nuggets
and hand-held vegan pizza pockets.
What makes these foods better-for-you
options? For some it's the ingredient list. For
others it's product freshness. And for all, it's
deliciousness.
The International Food Information Council
(IFIC) surveyed 1,054 adults representative of the
US population from May 6 to May 10, 2021. Nearly
two in three said that ingredients have at least a
moderate influence on their food and beverage
purchases, with most respondents choosing clean
ingredients while avoiding chemical-sounding
ones. That does not mean they are opposed to the
use of ingredients to improve product quality and
ensure safety. When asked if it was acceptable to
add preservatives to foods as a way to help with
food waste, 42% of respondents strongly agreed
or somewhat agreed, with another 32% being
neutral to the idea. These numbers were almost
the same when asked if adding an ingredient to
foods to extend shelf life would be viewed as a
positive benefit.
Kemin Industries makes it possible to reduce
food waste and extend product shelf life, all while
maintaining a clean label. The vertically integrated
company markets an extensive portfolio of cleanlabel
ingredients to help keep foods fresher, longer
and safer.
Such ingredients likely appeal to the nearly half
(46%) of respondents who consider themselves
to be a " clean eaters, " per the IFIC survey. Nearly
half of clean eaters say this means eating foods
that are not highly processed. Organic and simple
ingredients also scored high. Of those who seek
out foods and beverages with clean ingredients,
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