News

Vegetables get more popular

20 Nov 2015

It seems that everybody agrees that the only food that is actually healthy and that everyone should eat more of are vegetables. Yet, at the same time, almost no-one consumes the daily recommended amount of vegetables. This is especially true for children. And that’s no surprise. As a child I was also dreading to eat my vegetables and negotiating with my mother how many bites I had to take before I could enjoy my dessert.

In the most recent edition of VMT, the trade journal for the Dutch food industry, we explored the use of vegetables and fruit as an ingredient in food. And there’s a lot cooking in that field. In the Netherlands, there’s a company that sells vegetable fibers for use in for example bread or processed meat. Another company, Wessanen, has developed vegetable sandwich spreads. Innova Market Insights wrote an article about the increasing number of products on the market with hidden veggies, like pasta sauce for children. My mother would have been happy with this trend of hidden veggies in meals. Grown-ups can ramp up their vegetable intake with fresh pasta with vegetables (not hidden).

The hidden nature of vegetables comes with the taste. Where fruit isn’t a problem, as most fruits are sweet, vegetables can sometimes have a taste that’s not easy to get used to (I’m looking at you broccoli!). However popular kale has been the last few years, a smoothie with this healthy vegetable invariably incorporates some (sweet) banana to balance the taste. And that seems to be an attainable way to consume more vegetables: in combination with fruit. I’ve received some press releases of exhibitors at the Food Ingredients 2015 who will present innovative ingredients made from fruit and vegetables. I will keep an eye out on the expo for these innovations. Who knows, I may take a bite or two. And finish off with some innovations in chocolate…

Dionne Irving, Editor ingredients and technology

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