According to results from the Grocery Manufacturers Association’s 2010 Health and Wellness survey, healthy foods are on the rise. Survey results show that, in response to consumer demand for healthier products, “food and beverage companies eliminated or reduced trans fat in more than 10,000 products, eliminated or reduced saturated fat in more than 6,600 products…”

Conducted prior to the food industry’s most recent egg scare, the report Food Safety Certification: A Study of Food Safety in the U.S. Supply Chain by DNV Business Assurance finds that food safety concerns can significantly influence the shopping behaviors of consumers and the business practices of food manufacturers, retailers, and distributors. In the survey of more than 400 consumers and 73 food companies, almost half of respondents said they changed shopping patterns because of food safety issues.

At one of the food industry’s largest and most notable tradeshows last week, the Institute of Food Technologists Annual Meeting and Food Expo, food manufacturers gathered to show off the top trends in the industry. Among the major consumer trends are several notions that vegetarian food businesses are well positioned to take advantage of…

Healthy is big for both consumers and vegetarian food manufacturers, and while previous studies have found that nutritional information can impact consumer choices, this new research finds that convenience also helps seal the deal. In a study from Carnegie Mellon University, researchers found that making healthier food choices more convenient for consumers to find will encourage them to make healthier choices.

According to research from Mambo Sprouts Marketing, functional foods — items that provide additional health-promoting or disease-preventing attributes beyond their basic nutritional properties — are making a big splash with consumers and offer another way for manufacturers to differentiate their products.