Dive Brief:
- Natural Products Expo East last month saw the introduction of a number of products containing purple corn. Back to the Roots and Attune Foods' Peace Cereal both introduced cereals made with purple corn. Late July Snacks offered up organic purple corn tortilla chips.
- Suntava, which produces a proprietary, non-GMO purple corn, offers the ingredient as a whole grain, corn extract, and colorant.
- Health claims made for purple corn include that it may protect against cancer, obesity, and inflammation, largely due to high anthocyanin content.
Dive Insight:
Superfoods have become a $130 billion industry, though the question remains if the superfood designation is just marketing hype. While these foods are usually healthy choices, they may be driven more by consumer desire for a "miracle food" than by providing more benefits than found in everyday vegetables and fruits.
Moringa, mostly found in the form of bars and supplements, has also been discussed as the contender for the next superfood.