Global tastes moving towards pickles, peppers

If the predictions of a trendspotting food research group hold true, consumer palates will be moving towards strong, punchy flavors like pickled foods, rice vinegar, fennel and peri peri sauce -- also known as piri piri -- over the next year.

In Leatherhead's (an international food-related organisation)u00a0latest report "Global Food Additives Market," UK-based researchers also predict the new flavor trends will likely end up in the ever growing savory foods sector like the snack food aisle and in heat-and-serve convenience meals.

Meanwhile, pungent kicky spices like ginger, pepper and chili are also being accepted by consumers in confectionery products. Chili or ginger flavored chocolates, for example, are no longer restricted to gourmet, artisan stores but can be found in mainstream grocery retailers.

Botanical extracts like lavender, rose and orange blossom have also become popular food flavorings, the report found, while interest and consumption in green tea shows no sign of slowing.

Researchers noted the increasingly regional nature of flavor trends with consumers gravitating towards local flavors and products -- flavors that could include cajun spices in the southern US; seafood on the east coast; wasabi in Japan and Worcestershire in the UK.

Meanwhile, according to the report, consumers have less adventurous palates when it comes to sweet foods, as traditional fruits like strawberries continue to lead in confectionery and soft drinks due in large part to their health benefits, reported FoodNavigator.

Another interesting finding: the hype around goji berries, touted as the new 'superfruit,' hasn't kept pace with initial expectations.