In his book, The United States of Arugula, author David Kamp stated that “American Cuisine is in a state of ceaseless innovation, routinely outstripping the culinary cultures from which it springs.” It’s a sentiment that aptly summarizes the rapid evolution of American food and its evermore-informed consumer culture. It’s also a quote used as the cornerstone of a new report issued by The Hartman Group that encapsulated the factors that are poised to be the hallmarks of the 2012 food/consumer landscape.
 
In the realm of health and wellness, analysts at The Hartman Group, Bellevue, WA, pointed to studies that have found low-fat diets for health and low-sodium diets for hypertension have had little efficacy, leading to a greater focus on a person’s genetic makeup and their response to specific foods and ingredients. “This emerging area of nutritional genetics (nutrigenomics) and ‘personalized nutrition’ will likely be a major theme throughout the 21st century as we try to unravel and understand the complexities of individual genetics, including diet and specific health risks,” the report stated. “This comes at a time when ‘nutritionism’ is at an all time high.”
 
The analysts described the term “nutritionism” as the celebrating or demonizing of particular ingredients at the expense of the food itself, allowing the popularity of processed foods (e.g., potato chips with added fiber) to flourish while whole, real foods in the produce section remain uneaten. “We have seen consumers begin reacting to nutritionism with skepticism towards overtly scientific functional foods,” the report said.
 
What’s more, the intersection of genetic and medical science will continue to provide insight into creating customized diets specific to personal needs, rather than adhere to a one-size-fits-all, generalized, better-for-you diet, which will lead to less demand for better-for-you packaged foods and more interest in less processed, higher quality foods.
 
This trend can be evidenced in the ongoing evolution of consumer food preferences such as the ditching of margarine in favor of real butter, the preference for whole, cage free eggs in lieu of egg whites, stevia to artificial sweeteners, and eating leafy greens instead of drinking wheat grass shots. The tide has also turned in terms of ingredients. Preference has increased for coconut oil instead of canola oil, palm sugar instead of agave, and kefir instead of probiotic-enhanced yogurt.
 
Likewise, the “anti-fat” sentiment has declined thanks to scientific findings that certain fats are actually beneficial to good health. 
 
Specific food components such as soy and gluten have proven to be increasingly polarizing. Consumers polled for The Hartman Group’s report conveyed an increased consciousness toward soy, and indicated their awareness to soy’s perceived affect on hormones, the connotations associated with its use in processed foods, and its GMO status.
 
Gluten-free, on the other hand, while essential to the small percentage of the population that has celiac disease, connotes to non-celiacs the notion that a food is somehow less processed, thus driving the current gluten-free diet trend among non-celiacs. However, The Hartman Group asserted non-celiac consumers will eventually realize they don’t need to be gluten free to avoid processed carbs. They suggested consumers seek products that are “authentic” (e.g., Vietnamese rice noodles, Italian polenta, etc.) in place of products that are created to mimic other gluten-containing products because these products could be made with processed potato or tapioca starches—ingredients research has confirmed to hinder weight loss and digestive function (American Journal of Gastroenterology, 2006).
 
The natural food movement has had a noticeable impact on the use of dietary supplements. The Hartman Group said it expected excessive supplement usage to “continue to plateau,” replaced instead with an increased use of herbs for culinary purposes. “We can expect a spirited interest in herbology from a culinary focus to surface in the coming year in connection with local, regional and seasonal plants and their specific benefits,” the researchers reported. Examples of this trend include the use of fennel and ginger for anti-inflammation, peppermint and bitters for digestive health, and lavender and lemon balm for relaxation.
 
And while snacking will always be a part of a consumer’s daily food landscape, The Hartman Group indicated an increased perception that snacking is an integral part of a healthy lifestyle. “The desire for less processed, Real Foods and global flavors is shifting what consumers are looking for on snacking or mini meal occasions,” the analysts reported, pointing to the increased demand for beans, nuts and seeds instead of soy/whey protein or inulin in snack foods. “Snacks containing naturally occurring protein and fiber traditionally found on meal occasions are appealing to consumers looking to replace, bridge and upgrade their current snack repertoire.”
 
To obtain a copy of The Hartman Group’s free comprehensive report, click this link.