Food Product Trends Related to Consumer Demands Report

Introduction

The food processing industry is one of the most sensitive consumer centered-production segments, where aspects of food hygiene and food safety are very important and must be in consideration. Following sensitivity of foodstuffs, companies involved in the food production undergo strict scrutiny to ensure that they comply with policies and standards for proper nutrition, safety, and quality of food, and avoid the occurrence of health implications. Such efforts protect consumers since they avert nutritional health hazards resulting from contaminated, poisoned foodstuffs, or substandard ingredients that are likely to cause health complication. In this view, this report seeks to examine the Canadian Veggie Bacon under the Yves Veggie Cuisine brand with a view of investigating and evaluating the concept of food products catering in relation to consumer demands and improved nutrition and health.

Aspects catered for different consumers

Different food products, meet different clientele demands. The Canadian Veggie Bacon offers its consumers a continuum of flavor aspects catered for consumers with different demands and preferences on this food product.¹ For the consumers, who love spicy foods, the Canadian Veggie Bacon contains a combination of spice for the desired food seasoning. The Canadian Veggie Bacon is also a food product that falls under light foodstuff, preferably for consumers, who prefer taking minimal time in cooking. The taste of a food product is crucial and varies among consumers.² The Canadian Veggie Bacon has a smoky taste, which is a traditional fragrance of back bacon. Some clients like combining the cuisine with diverse foodstuffs such as eggs, waffles, or pancakes. The cuisine is a healthy food because it has no cholesterol.

Analysis and breakdown of product ingredients

Under the food labeling regulations and branding of food products, manufacturers must always produce the list of ingredients used in the manufacture of a food product or brand released into the consumer market. There are two major classifications of product ingredients in the branding, namely, the major food components or the macro components and the minor food components or the micro components. Under the chemical properties of food systems, Canadian Veggie Bacon food product comprises of several major and minor food components.³ This section of the report presents a classification of ingredients of components found in the Canadian Veggie Bacon. The following table represents a classification of ingredients found in the Canadian Veggie Bacon product.

Major and Minor food components found in the Canadian Veggie Bacon

Table.

Roles of the identified Major-components

Water as a major component has a significant role in the sensory and functional properties of the Canadian Veggie Bacon. Water as a binding component absorbs proteins and polysaccharides in the tissue food systems and during food dispersion processes. Generally, it supports the chemical processes involved in food production. In terms of sensory properties of the Canadian Veggie Bacon, water makes the product compressible, helps in the solubility of the product, acts as a coolant, and gives the food a tensile strength. Soy protein is important in the Canadian Veggie Bacon because it is a source of proteins. The functionality of soy protein in the Canadian Veggie Bacon is that it acts as an emulsifier, which is a biological component that determines the texture and thus promotes sensitivity of the cuisine.

Natural liquid smoke, wheat gluten, and the evaporated cane juice in the Canadian Veggie Bacon are part of the protein components that act as foam components, which are responsible for trapping air bubbles and forming tough three-dimensional structures that give the food component its desired shape. Beetroot powder is an important major component in the Canadian Veggie Bacon, which acts as an allergen.⁴ Wheat starch and mustard are important major components in the Canadian Veggie Bacon since they act as allergens or sensitivity promoters that help in adding the desired flavor and taste in the food product. Carrageen guar gum and locust bean gum are some important major food components. These components are sources of carbohydrate in the Canadian Veggie Bacon, which act as flavor enhancers because they cool the food and cause appetizing sensations among the consumers.

Food Additive found in the product

The Canadian Veggie Bacon contains some food additives that are also important in the production and storage processes of the product. In this food product, thiamine hydrochloride and Zinc oxide are some of the main food additives that are present. The three sets of additives fall under the preservation of food components since they act as preservatives for the Canadian Veggie Bacon. They are useful in maintaining the nutritive value of the Canadian Veggie Bacon, and in ensuring that the quantity and the quality of the food remains the same despite taking some days in shelves. Apart from acting as preservatives that stabilize the food condition during its shelf life, thiamine hydrochloride and Zinc oxide also provide essential support during the production process of the Veggie Bacon.

Basic mandatory labeling requirements for a similar product

Branding and labeling of products is one of the most crucial parts of food production and preservation for sale in groceries or grocery stores. I checked the labeling of Veggie Corn Dogs within the retail grocery stores to examine whether the labeling process of the product met the labeling requirements. In its labeling, the company considered the important labeling requirements, including the identification of the common name of the product, the indication of the net quantity of the product, as well as the name and the address of the company appeared on the packaged food. In addition, information about nutrients, list of ingredients, the expiry date, and storage instructions were available in the packaged food.

Conclusion

In the current world, consumers are wise in that they only purchase products that meet certain standards or their tastes or preferences. In the aspect of food, consumers are very cautious because they buy foodstuffs, which have certain specifications on their labels. Hence, consumer demands have made food industries label their foodstuffs so that consumers and consumer protection agencies can assess the safety and quality of diverse foodstuffs. As consumers are aware of the safety and quality attributes of foodstuffs, important information regarding the packaged food products in terms of labeling requirements is essential. The common product name familiar to consumers, the name of a company, its address and contacts, list of available ingredients in the packaged product, the quantity of the product, shelf life, and storage instructions are among the most important labeling requirements that companies should always meet.

Reference

Hain Celestaial: Our products – Yves Veggie Cuisine. (2014). Web.

Endnotes

1. Hain Celestial: Our products – Yves Veggie Cuisine. (2014), para. 1.
2. Hain Celestial (2014), para. 1.
3. Hain Celestial (2014), para. 1.
4. Hain Celestial (2014), para. 1.