New Era Sugar Reduction
Speaker: Stephanie Mattucci, CFS, Associate Director, Food Science, Mintel
Stephanie Mattucci is an Associate Director of Food Science at Mintel. Mattucci’s role includes advising clients about innovations, ingredient and nutrition trends as it relates to consumer behavior. Her insights provide guidance to technical teams yet is approachable for those without a technical background. Stephanie also gives insightful and engaging presentations for clients at workshops, trade shows, and other events.
She has a bachelor’s degree in Food Science from University of Wisconsin-Madison and earned her Certified Food Scientist credential from the Institute of Food Technologists in 2016. Prior to joining Mintel in 2013, Mattucci worked as a Food Scientist for a global leader in customized food ingredients where she formulated seasoning blends for a variety of food applications.
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Abstract: Consumers’ quest for healthier diets is putting more pressure on brands to address the sugar content in their products. Not only has the COVID-19 pandemic prompted people to pay greater attention to their health, but it has also changed the way consumers interact with sweetener ingredients at home. This creates new opportunities for better-for-you sweeteners to meet consumers’ wellness goals, both at home and in retail food and drink products. Learn more about today’s sweetener ingredients trends. Find out what consumers are looking for in sweeteners and how innovative ingredient solutions are rising to the challenge.
Excerpt from the Summary of this Webinar:
When asked what factors are essential when choosing healthy foods and beverages, half of the consumers agreed that “low/no sugar” was important, second only to the 66% of consumers who said “fresh” was important. “Sugar has overtaken other components as the most concerning factor in foods and beverages,” stated Mattucci.
Mintel compared the importance of various health factors due to the pandemic, revealing that low sugar is 30% more important since the outbreak of the pandemic. However, while consumers seek less sugar, are other sweeteners an acceptable alternative? The answer to this question is as follows as measured by a Mintel survey of U.S. consumers:
- 30% check food labels for sweetener content, and 25% avoid items with sweeteners
- 79% think some sweeteners should be avoided more than others
- 69% think artificial sweeteners are bad for your health
Note: The article summary and Premium Sweetener Webinar Magazine will be posted shortly.
See Stephanie Mattucci’s video presentation below: