The Educator Magazine U.K. Jan-April 2023. - Magazine - Page 54
Food trends
predictions for 2023
Expect gut health, flexitarianism and supply
chain traceability to be key factors trending
in the food industry in 2023
Jo Hall, Communications and Development Director at allmanhall, looks at
emerging trends we can expect to see in 2023
As we approach 2023, the food
industry’s attention is likely to continue
to focus on inflation as the cost of raw
materials, transport and labour drive
volatile prices.
diets entirely, and of meat eaters who
are looking to reduce the amount of
meat they consume by looking for
healthier reformulations of their
favourite foods.
As producers and manufacturers work
to manage the rising costs within the
supply chain there is likely to be a lower
number of innovative food products
bought to market. However, changes
in eating habits that we have seen in
recent times are likely to continue, as
consumers take responsibility for their
own carbon impact and look to eat
more sustainably, both for their own
health and that of the planet. So what
are these trends and how are they likely
to change?
One key area of expected and much
needed development is that of fish and
seafood alternatives. As the Spoonshot
‘Trends for 2023 and Beyond’ report
highlights, whilst there has been great
innovation within meat and dairy
alternatives, there are limited
options available of free-from fish
and seafood that are of the same
calibre as the meat-less meat we have
seen emerge on the market.
Flexitarianism and food alternatives
A flexitarian diet will continue to
gain momentum and increase in
popularity, whilst veganism could
potentially slow. Defined as an
individual who primarily follows a
vegetarian diet but occasionally eats
meat or fish, flexitarianism appears to
be popular as it is inclusive of those
who wish to exclude meat from their
With fish being a popular meal choice
due to its health benefits, it is perhaps
not surprising that it is reported that
the global fish consumption has
doubled since 1998 and is projected
to nearly double again by 2050.
It is vital that a more sustainable
seafood alternative is found. Currently
alternative fish products feature
ingredients such as jackfruit, soybeans,
peas and green lentils, but there is a
huge scope for development into a
viable fish-less
alternative that meets taste and
nutritional expectations as well as
providing a more sustainable solution.
One solution could be the
development of sea farms, where
sea plants are grown in place of fish,
grains and meat. Whilst this may not
offer the ‘faux fish’ products consumers
are looking for, ingredients such as
seaweed, kelp and samphire would
be sustainably farmed and harvested.
Zostera marina is a seagrass grown
without freshwater or fertiliser, the
grains from the seagrass are gluten free
and have nutritional value.
They can also absorb carbon 35 times
faster than tropical rainforests, making
them a potential tool in fighting
climate change and introducing
more sustainable ways to source food.
Such developments offer solutions that
would alleviate the pressure on the
marine fish populations and provide
sustainable alternatives to other
farming processes.
Meat consumers are also looking for
healthier reformulations of their
favourite foods, something we can
expect to see emerging over the
coming year.