According to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), more than one out of every three adults in the United States is obese. It’s officially being labeled an epidemic by many health experts, and the consequences can be devastating. Some of the leading causes of preventable death are directly linked to being overweight, including heart disease, stroke, type 2 diabetes and certain types of cancer.

The egg market has seen considerable volatility in recent months and years, not only in the form of shell eggs, but for dried, frozen and liquid egg products as well. Since mid-January 2018, nest run egg pricing saw a 121% price increase and are now priced more than four times what they were a year ago. Dried egg yolk remains 66% higher than a year ago and frozen yolks rose nearly 100%. Liquid white prices have more than doubled in 2018 alone.

Perhaps no other food product has been so highly revered throughout the ages as chocolate. Its popularity has only grown in recent years because of its purported health benefits. Cocoa, chocolate’s key ingredient, is high in antioxidants which can help lower stress, regulate blood pressure and potentially lower memory decline.

Butter and cheese continue to make headlines as demand for the products soar, driving prices up in the U.S. and abroad. Some analysts speculate that butter and cheese prices will continue to climb, while others suggest a sharp correction in markets is on the horizon.

Remember the food pyramid? It used to be considered the ideal approach to nutrition and was considered the foundation of a healthy diet — a balance of fruits, vegetables, lean protein, grains and dairy. Today, many consumers are abandoning the one-size-fits-all guidelines in favor of a more customized approach.

Consumer demand for ready-to-drink (RTD) beverages in the U.S. has grown considerably in recent years and is expected to reach $6.7 billion by 2019. The convenience of on-the-go drinks that are easy to drink while commuting or at the office is driving demand as is the desire for added nutritional values. Approximately one-quarter of beverages in many sectors now have protein, including carbonated soft drinks, bottled water, sports drinks, meal replacement beverages and more.

The move toward clean eating is gaining momentum as consumers become better educated and more conscious about the impact of artificial additives and other “bad-for-you” ingredients on their health and overall wellness. Some have noticed their trips to the grocery store and restaurants are taking just a bit longer as they scrutinize labels on products and interrogate servers about the ingredients used to prepare food.

Many food manufacturers have their tried-and-true recipes for chocolate chip cookies but, because of volatile and unstable egg markets in addition to costly refrigeration and FDA requirements, some are looking for ways to reformulate without using this staple ingredient (and without losing the signature flavors and rich, chewy textures their chocolate chip cookies are known for).

There was a time when butter was perceived as an “enemy” of the heart- and health-conscious. While dietary moderation remains key, the long-held belief has changed. Consumers now clamor for “natural” foods and fats, as evidenced by the average butter consumption per person having gone up a full pound since 2006. Their purchase decisions are driving a butter renaissance that has netted $2.8 billion in sales in 2016. Compare that against $1.4 billion in vegetable oil-based margarine sales over the same period, and butter’s popularity is anything but spread thin.

Ask anyone what the familiar tastes are in most foods and you’ll get the same response, “Sweet, sour, bitter and salty.” In recent years, however, chefs and foodies have been putting an emphasis on the fifth taste sensation: umami.