It's vital to get flavor and color right when developing snack and bakery products. Color helps establish the consumer's initial expectations of a product, and flavor is a critical part of delivering against those expectations.

The 2015-2020 Dietary Guidelines recommends consuming 2 cup equivalents of fruit and 2 and a half cup equivalents of vegetables per day, based on a 2,000-calorie diet.

Sugar is now squarely top of mind for consumers. According to the 2019 International Food Information Council (IFIC) "Food & Health" survey, limiting sugar intake is one of the top ways in which consumer diets have changed over the past several years, and 80 percent of consumers are trying to limit and/or avoid added sugars.

To successfully bake products requires an astute blend of art and science. A fundamental ingredient in the baking process is the leavening agent. Leavening contributes essential sensory characteristics to bakery products.

While taste will remain a dominant factor for all food products, health, wellness and the nutritional value of the product is growing in importance. Several studies point to the fact that consumers are looking to achieve better overall wellness by selecting foods and ingredients that provide a functional health benefit.

Grains are a fundamental ingredient for snack and bakery products. With consumers seeking better-for-you snacking options, grains, which fit squarely into plant-based trends, provide a great combination of flavor, texture and nutrition.

Nuts and seeds are growing in popularity due to an increase in healthy snacking and consumer interest in plant-based products. According to Innova Market Insights, 7 in 10 U.S. consumers sought healthier snacking options in 2018.

Crackers maintain far-reaching appeal. But while the category benefits from increased consumer interest in snacking, crackers have experienced intensified competition from other foods within salty snacks and beyond.

Let them eat cake ... and pies, and cheesecake. Consumers are still seeking indulgent multi-sensory experiences and desserts deliver.

Functional ingredients like dough conditioners are important components of any formulation to help improve the quality, texture and shelf life of snack and bakery products.