‘Tis the season for charcuterie boards featuring ready-to-eat meats and cheeses. These grazing boards are a giant petri dish. The longer these perishable items stay uncovered at ambient temperature and the more hands that touch the serving utensils, the greater the risk of microbial contamination.
Research supported by the American Egg Board and conducted by CuliNex examined typical baking applications made with egg products vs. those made without eggs.
Extending the shelf life of baked goods reduces food waste and controls costs. Chemical preservatives, such as calcium propionate, and emulsifiers, such as DATEM and SSL, have been very cost-effective at achieving these goals. However, consumers are rejecting them as they seek out foods with natural claims.
Bringing back the “theater of retail” is a priority for Jason Buechel, the new chief executive officer of Whole Foods Market, Austin, Texas, a business unit of Amazon.com, Inc., who spoke at the Groceryshop conference held Sept. 19-22 in Las Vegas.
The global vegan cheese market is expected to grow at a compound annual rate of about 10% and reach a market value of about $7 billion by 2030, according to a 2022 Food Institute report.