Here is their Top 20 List:

The following Top 20 trends for 2012 include:

1. Locally sourced meats and seafood.
2. Locally grown produce.
3. Healthful kids’ meals.
4. Hyper-local items.
5. Sustainability as a culinary theme.
6. Children’s nutrition as a culinary theme.
7. Gluten-free/food allergy-conscious items.
8. Locally produced wine and beer.
9. Sustainable seafood.
10. Whole grain items in kids’ meals.
11. Newly fabricated cuts of meat.
12. Farm/estate-branded items.
13. Food trucks/street food.
14. Artisan spirits.
15. House-made/artisan ice cream.
16. Health/nutrition as a culinary theme.
17. Non-traditional fish.
18. Fruit/vegetable kids’ side items.
19. Children’s mini-meals (i.e. smaller versions of adult menu items).
20. Culinary cocktails.

Picture vsmoothe

Restaurants will need to include calorie information on menus, drive up menus and billboards. This new rule was included in the latest Health Care Bill that passed this week. Restaurants affected are those with 20 or more locations.  Our Food Lab Supervisor, Erin Smith alerted me to an article in today’s Omaha World-Herald.

Some Restaurants are testing on their own

Some restaurants are getting a head start and conducting their own testing with respect to this new legislation. One client sent 20 menu items to Midwest Laboratories for testing.  Our testing information for restaurants can be found on our eStore.

Guidance

In light of these regulations, it would be to your best benefit to speak to Erin or Sue Ann at Midwest Laboratories. 800-777-0486

Midwest Labs specializes in a wide variety of shelf life tests.

We test pet food for shelf life too!

All studies can be customized to meet client’s need, to speak with someone on customization please call the Food Laboratory at Midwest Laboratories at 402-334-7770.