Consumer demand, natural products

Early in the century the amount of energy output in the form of food was about equal to the commercial energy input to the crop and livestock. That was before electricity, natural gas, and petroleum products were available to the farm. Now at least 10 kcal of commercial energy is used for each kcal of food energy produced. This change has occurred as a result of mechanization, irrigation, and consumer demand for low fat foods and for precooked and prepared foods. 

R)- -Decalactone contributes much of the characteristic taste and aroma of peach and many other flavours. Chemically synthesised T -decalactone has been cheaply available for a long time, but the consumer demand for naturally flavoured food and beverages that arose in the mid 1980s created a strong demand for the (RJ-lf -decalactone isomer as a natural food flavour molecule. This definition of natural grade required its production by entirely enzyme-based steps. In turn this led to the development of a number of biotransformation processes to make natural f -decalactone. 

While new markets have been created and new companies founded to meet the demand for natural products, the consumer is often misled or confused regarding these products. When the ingredient labels of many advertised natural products are examined, they are often found to include a number of synthetic chemicals. The words natural or organic should not be interpreted as meaning good or better, and the presence of synthetic chemicals does not mean bad. There is no difference in chemicals derived from natural sources or produced synthetically. A chemical is the same chemical whether it comes from a natural or synthetic source. Synthetic ascorbic acid. 

One of the main issues confronting today s food scientist is the development of new products for the market. Today s consumer oriented products must address the consumer s desire and demand for nutritionally sound, highly flavorful, and more natural products. Food scientists must also address the ergonomics of the situation and maintain maximal utilization of food crops within that society while at the same time maintaining capital outlays. These are difflcult tasks for today s food and agricultural scientist to meet. 

The medical use of botanicals in their natural and unprocessed form undoubtedly began when the first intelligent animals noticed that certain food plants altered particular body functions. Much information exists about the historical use and effectiveness of botanical products. Unfortunately, the quality of this information is extremely variable. One of the most complete compendiums of clinical recommendations regarding the use of botanicals is the Report of the German Commission E (a committee that sets standards for herbal medications in that country Blumenthal, 2000). Interest in the endocrine effects and possible nutritional benefits of certain purified chemicals such as dehydroepiandrosterone. melatonin, high-dose vitamins, and minerals has led to a parallel development of consumer demand for such substances. These substances, together with the botanicals, constitute a substantial source of profits for those who exploit the concept of "alternative medicine."... 

The uncertified color additives (Institute of Food Technologists 1986) include a number of natural extracts as well as inorganic substances such as titanium dioxide. Some of these can be used only with certain restrictions (Table 6-7). The consumer demand for more natural colorants has provided an impetus for examining many natural coloring substances. These have been described in detail by Francis (1987). The possibility of using plant tissue culture for the production of natural pigments has also been considered (Ilker 1987). 

Colours and some of the other agents added to food, however, have less obvious benefit for the consumer and are probably more important for the manufacturer. Enhancing the attractiveness of food, for example, increases its saleability, which would appear to be the main reason for the use of some additives such as colouring agents. Often we as consumers prefer to have attractively coloured food, but recently many consumers have begun to question the unnecessary use of additives in food and to demand additive-free food or the use of natural additives. While this may satisfy those who believe that natural substances are intrinsically safe, the fact is that natural products can be just as toxic as synthetic ones (see pp. 145-58, 240-57). Therefore each natural food additive also needs to be assessed for safety. For example, a tin of custard powder may claim to contain no artificial colours but contains annatto as colouring, which while it may be of natural origin has been associated with adverse effects (see below). 

A tabulation similar to Table 13.1, but listing tbe major polymers and copolymers manufactured in the United States, is shown in Table 13.2. Many of the polymers and copolymers in this table and their applications were developed during and after World War II, and most are manufactured from the higher ranked organic commodities listed in Table 13.1 by traditional thermochemical polymerization. Petroleum and natural gas are the primary raw materials. With few exceptions, the polymeric products from these feedstocks have annual values of more than 1 billion. It is evident that consumer demand for plastics and rubbers is very large and that the market for polymers and copolymers has exhibited good growth. 

Bowing to consumer demand for these products, the flavor industry is beginning to enlist the help of biotechnology to produce natural flavor and aroma compounds via fermentative routes. At this time, the production of these fermentation compounds is a largely untapped area of bioconversion research in which bioesterification has great potential as esters play a key role in flavors. 

In many countries around the world religious requirements also influence the choice of natural colour product. To match consumer demands, colonrs mnst often be accompanied by kosher or halal documentation, which can inclnde certification of both raw materials and processing. 

Natural rubber has been known to humans for hundreds of years. Archaeologists have found that the Indians of South and Central America were making rubber products as early as the eleventh century. Until the end of the nineteenth century, natural supplies of rubber obtained from the rubber tree, Hevea > , were sufficient to meet consumer demand for the product. However, with the development of modern technology-especially the invention of the automobile-natural supplies of the product proved to... 

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