With the recent surge in attention to immunity, American consumers are now thinking of preventive health less in terms of reaching for “immune boosting” supplements and more about “immune resilience.” Incorporating botanicals into food products can aid significantly in maintaining the many and complex facets of immunity.

Global concerns over obesity, diabetes, and cardiovascular disease will usher in the new year’s health and wellness initiatives. Consumers will engage in the annual effort to seek out food and beverage choices with more moderate amounts of nutritive sweeteners (i.e., sucrose and fructose), lower amounts of “undesirable” fats, and fewer calories. 

Butterball Farms Inc., Grand Rapids, Mich., says its new Honey with Cinnamon Sugar Butter Hive delivers the “perfect balance of nature’s honey and cinnamon in a one-of-a-kind beehive shape.”

Aiming to make culinary trends more accessible, HEINZ looked to the culinary expertise of award-winning chefs, Lee Wolen and Joe Frillman, for inspiration in developing the collection.

An emerging trend in the world of sweetness is that of “natural browns.” These predominantly nutritive sweeteners include organic and raw sugars that are less processed and align with health- and eco-friendly concerns as perceived by consumers.

MeliBio, Inc., a food-tech company focused on creating real honey without bees, announced a $5.7M Seed round to scale its proprietary technology of precision fermentation and plant science and launch its first line of commercial products. The round is led by Astanor Ventures, with participation of existing and new investors.

Prepared Foods talks flavor boosting with Chris Koetke, corporate executive chef at Ajinomoto Health & Nutrition North America, Inc.