The more things change, the more we find ourselves scratching our heads at the stuff the powers-that-be in the corporate food world come up with.
Pop Culture
Vita Food Products, Inc. is the number one brand of refrigerated seafood products, sales-wise, as well as an industry leader in the smoked fish category. Don't ask us how this translates into their new soda-pop flavored dessert toppings and barbecue sauces, though. We just report this stuff.
The company's Vita Specialty Foods arm has just introduced Dr. Pepper, A&W, 7Up and Crush-branded syrups, marinades and such for those of us who just can't get enough high fructose corn syrup in our diets the old-fashioned way. Offerings include Orange Crush Orange and Vanilla Cream Dessert Topper, A&W Rich 'n Hearty BBQ Sauce and 7Up Refreshing Citrus Marinade.
No, we haven't tried 'em yet. You go first.
Smell Your Way Svelte: Have you heard of Sensa? These little
granules--called "tastants"-- claim to help dieters lose weight by
intensifying the sensory experience of eating. As explained by creator
Dr. Alan Hirsch on the company's website, "Sensa works with your sense
of smell to curb your hunger without affecting the taste of your food.
This induces something called 'sensory-specific satiety.' It makes your
brain perceive that you've eaten more than you have and, thus, you eat
less and lose weight."
Just sprinkle on the patent-pending concoction of maltodextrin, silica,
tricalcium phosphate and natural and artificial flavors, and then watch
the pounds melt away. Theoretically.
We're thinking someone used a similar brain-disruption process to
influence the "Birthers." We have to admit, though, that the numerous
smiling pics of happy users on the website and the 25 years of research
Dr. Hirsch put into Sensa (beginning with his work as the founder of
the Smell & Taste Treatment and Research Foundation in Chicago)
have piqued our curiosity about this unusual new product.
Hmm. Research. What a novel idea.
Single Size Me:
Anyone who takes offense at the outsized portions of unhealthy food in
the American diet needs only look into the local grocery's freezer case
for proof that plenty of companies are doing something about it. And
we're not always on board with their efforts--100-calorie packs were
one thing, designed for lunch boxes and desk drawers, single-portioned
for an afternoon pick-me-up that wouldn't spoil your dinner, but itty
bitty offerings from the likes of Edwards, Ben & Jerry's and
Häagen-Dazs only make us feel more guilty about eating ice cream in the
first place.
Three bites into an Edwards single-serve hot turtle brownie sundae...it was gone. And we'd been looking forward to it all day.
Similarly, B&J's and Häagen-Dazs teensy weensy 3-4 oz. ounce cups
just made us sad. All this time, we thought the pint was a perfect
serving size. Now we just feel piggy.
