When it comes to crafting that “just right” flavor, a processor needs to know why each ingredient is in the mix and what it brings to complete the product’s flavor profile.

While turkey remains the dominant center of the plate protein for Thanksgiving, consumption of such alternatives as pork, lamb, beef and chicken are on the upswing as more consumers seek variety, novelty and affordability when preparing for seasonal gatherings.

Breakfast has several consumer needs to meet ranging from being appealing, delicious and nutritious to being quick and easy to eat.

Sixty-two percent of nearly 1,600 chefs surveyed for the National Restaurant Association’s What’s Hot 2016 Culinary Forecast named barbecue a perennial favorite in 2016, making it one of the top three leading perennial favorites in restaurants.

The use of phosphates in meat and poultry products is advancing, but restricted.

Most Americans (89 percent) agree it is important to eat enough protein in their diet, and that protein can be part of a heart healthy diet (86 percent), reports Washington, D.C.-based International Food Information Council Foundation (IFIC)’s Food and Health Survey 2015.