Each week, Padilla stands at the intersection of people, culture and brands to bring you five stories that you can read in five minutes. This week, FoodMinds, a division of Padilla, shares five head-turning stories from recent weeks focused on food and nutrition.
- Allergy-fighting Toothpaste
What’s Up: A new experimental toothpaste could help people with a peanut allergy. It contains small amounts of allergens intended to help users build up a tolerance and ultimately have less severe reactions if they are exposed to peanuts. Why We’re Clocking It: A peanut allergy is one of the most common causes of severe allergy attacks. It’s also the most common allergy in children and the second-most common allergy in adults. We’ll continue to see more innovative solutions to treat or prevent it. [WGRZ.com]
- Cannabis Ice Cream
What’s Up: Get ready for a product launch that kicks ‘novelty ice cream’ up a notch: cannabis-infused frozen desserts, the first-ever commercial endeavor of its type. Why We’re Clocking It: The cannabis food and beverage market is expected to grow rapidly over the next several years, with increasing demand for craft/connoisseur products, from dairy products to the dessert aisle. [Dairy Foods]
- Potato Milk in the UK
What’s Up: Soy, almonds, hemp, cashews, coconuts, oats and now…potatoes make their way into the non-dairy milk mix in the U.K. Why We’re Clocking It: Makers of the new potato-based beverage claim it has some impressive eco-stats, from its carbon footprint to its land and water usage. As consumers continue to seek out sustainable products, it will be interesting to see if ‘potato milk’ starts making its way into more grocery carts. [Daily Mail]
- Vertical Farms Tailored to YOU
What’s Up: Personalized wellness meets sustainable farming. A new project aims to develop vertical kitchen gardens for the home and workplace that grow produce designed to match individual nutrition needs. App users will be able to select crops to grow based on their personal eating habits on wellness goals while cutting down on food miles. Why We’re Clocking It: Who doesn’t love a hybrid trend? This sustainable solution leverages digital tools and delivers on consumer demand for personalization. [Lab News]
- The Future of Fiber in IBS Treatment
What’s Up: More from the personalized wellness front: researchers say personalized fiber recommendations for people with IBS may soon be possible. Instead of the current one-size-fits-all approach to dietary guidance, future clinical practice could include individualized fiber prescriptions and supplement plans for those suffering from GI issues. Why We’re Clocking It: It’s the dawn of the precision-nutrition era, and person-specific food and nutrient recommendations will continue to gradually replace broad, population-based guidelines. [BMJ Journals – Gut]
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