2022 food trends and recommendations

Each year the foodservice industry encounters new consumer trends and preferences. For commercial kitchens, navigating these trends to satisfy customers' needs while also following safe practices is a challenge that can be overcome through careful research and utilising safety-focused processes and high quality commercial kitchen supplies. 

Various sources have recently released trend reports, including FrieslandCampina, Whole Foods Market and Kadence International, revealing the latest food trends likely to entice consumers into 2022.

Mindfully sourced ingredients
In recent years, consumers have become more mindful of the sustainable sourcing of their meals when dining out. A greater sense of social consciousness, particularly from young consumers, has increased the drive for locally and ethically sourced ingredients. For commercial kitchens, it is essential to consider the food safety processes of local producers. For example, it is necessary to ensure that dairy products such as milk are correctly pasteurised, following Australian standards such as the Code of Practice for Dairy Food Safety. Similarly, fruit and vegetables produced sustainably may not have been effectively protected against pests, placing consumers at risk of dangerous food poisoning.

‘Flexitarian’ meals
Similarly, consumers are increasing their intake of plant-based and vegetarian meals. The 'flexitarian' diet refers to a reduced intake of meat, poultry, and seafood. Food-safe processes are essential for foodservice businesses looking to offer increasingly popular alternatives as several plant-based foods are notorious for harbouring bacteria. Tofu is a good example because it's commonly served 'raw,' which means it hasn't been exposed to the high temperatures that destroy bacteria during the cooking process. It is critical to inspect tofu before eating it and discard it if it has a slimy texture, strange odour, or fermented taste. Fildes Food Safety also offers food labels to differentiate vegan and vegetarian ingredients and meals safely.

Functional foods
Functional foods refer to ingredient’s that are immunity boosting. Popular examples may include products for gut health such as micro biotic rich foods including kombucha, yogurt and kimchi, and inflammation-reducing ingredients such as turmeric and green tea extract. While generally safe for use in commercial kitchens, these ingredients may trigger allergic reactions or cause minor food poisoning symptoms such as an upset stomach, diarrhoea, or bloating. It is helpful for chefs to utilise Fildes Food Safety’s allergen kits when cooking with these specific ingredients and distinguish each item in the kitchen with effective food labels.

Fildes Food Safety offers a variety of food safety labels and products to assist with meeting food safety protocols. Contact the team to learn more about which products can help in your kitchen into the new year.