On every level, 2020 has been a year of adjustment. Of finding new ways of thinking and novel solutions within a dynamic global environment. Travel restrictions and conference cancellations are making it harder to stay on top of the latest industry trends.

Whenever consumers make Jell-O, thicken gravy or add corn starch to a pie filling, they knowingly or unknowingly are using hydrocolloids to thicken their products and give them a desired consistency. As health-and-wellness trends impact new product development, beverage formulators increasingly are using these ingredients to give consumers the clean label, nutrient-enriched beverages they seek, experts say.

To help food and beverage companies develop products that satisfy health-and-wellness trends without sacrificing taste, Cargill developed EverSweet, a zero-calorie sweetener made with the same sweetness found in the stevia leaf, Reb M and Reb D.

ColinKurtis Advertising, Rockford, Ill., announced the completion of a multi-year strategic marketing plan for Carol Stream, Ill.-based Prinova, a supplier of high-quality ingredients, flavors and value-added nutrient fortification products.

To help consumer packaged goods manufacturers boost the nutritional benefits of their products, Cargill developed IngreVita, a new oil blend.

Dallas-based Celanese launched a unified brand and new slogan, “the chemistry inside innovation,” to represent its various businesses and capabilities. Fona International, Geneva, Ill., launched a Discover Fona website at fona.com/discover-fona as a research tool for teachers who wish to incorporate food and flavor science into their lesson plans.

 According to a presentation by Chicago-based Mintel at this year’s Institute of Food Technologists (IFT) Annual Meeting & Food Expo, 89 percent of U.S. parents say they are likely to purchase breakfast foods that their children ask for, and about 40 percent say they will buy a treat for their kids if they ask for it.