Label date, not phrasing, drives consumer decisions to toss food

In eye-tracking study, half of participants look only at date

04-Jul-2023 - Up to half of consumers may decide to pour perfectly good milk down the drain based solely on their glance at the date label on the carton, a new study suggests. Researchers using eye-tracking technology found that 50% of study participants declared their intent to throw away milk based on the ...

Green tea extract promotes gut health, lowers blood sugar

Study shows potential to reduce risks of metabolic syndrome

28-Jul-2022 - New research in people with a cluster of heart disease risk factors has shown that consuming green tea extract for four weeks can reduce blood sugar levels and improve gut health by lowering inflammation and decreasing “leaky gut.” Researchers said this is the first study assessing whether the ...

Meat industry not threatened by plant-based alternatives, study suggests

12-Apr-2022 - At least for now, there is no reason for the traditional meat industry to have much of a beef with producers of plant-based burgers and other meat alternatives, new research suggests. The study showed that while sales and market share of new-generation plant-based meat alternatives have grown in ...

How to ruin the taste of a cookie with just 2 words

Negative labels influence consumer perception of food, study finds

28-Jan-2022 - A rose by any other name may smell as sweet, but a chocolate chip cookie labeled “consumer complaint” won’t taste as good as the exact same product described as “new and improved,” a new study suggests. Researchers labeled identical saltine crackers and chocolate chip cookies as either “new and ...

Giving ugly food a chance

Study details strategies to improve sales of imperfect carrots

08-Dec-2021 - Explaining the value of misshapen vegetables – that they are as healthful as their picture-perfect counterparts and buying them helps reduce food waste – could help improve sales of “ugly” produce, new research suggests. The study measured consumers’ responses to hypothetical shopping scenarios ...

Scientists on the scent of flavor enhancement

21-Jul-2021 - Flavor is the name of the game for scientists who want to optimize food for consumption in ways that improve nutrition or combat obesity. But there is more to flavor than the substances that meet the mouth. Olfaction, our sense of smell, is a major contributor to how we perceive aromas, ...

How adding green tea extract to prepared foods may reduce the risk for norovirus

In study, edible coating made with tea extract killed the virus and bacteria

20-Aug-2020 - Infusing prepared foods with an edible coating that contains green tea extract may lower consumers’ chances of catching the highly contagious norovirus by eating contaminated food, new research suggests. Norovirus, which causes vomiting and diarrhea, sickens an estimated 48 million people in the ...

How to fight illegal cocoa farms in Ivory Coast

Study finds regular foot patrols reduce illicit activity

22-Nov-2019 - COLUMBUS, Ohio -- The world's love for chocolate has helped decimate protected forests in western Africa as some residents have turned protected areas into illegal cocoa farms and hunting grounds. But an international group of researchers has found that simply patrolling the grounds of two forest ...

Meatballs might wreck the anti-cancer perks of tomato sauce

Study finds twofold decrease in lycopene uptake with iron supplement

18-Sep-2019 - Eating your tomato sauce with meatballs piled on top could have a surprising downside, new research suggests. Some of the anti-cancer benefits of tomatoes, specifically those from a compound called lycopene, could disappear when they're eaten with iron-rich foods, according to a new study from ...

Study shows potential for Earth-friendly plastic replacement

New biodegradable ‘plastic’ is tough, flexible

11-Apr-2019 - The quest to keep plastic out of landfills and simultaneously satisfy the needs of the food industry is filled with obstacles.A biodegradable replacement for petroleum-based products has to meet all sorts of standards and, so far, attempts at viable replacements from renewable sources have faced ...