Consumer health and lifestyle trends in food and cooking

Recent studies and consumer trends highlight significant shifts in dietary habits and food preparation. A study by nutrition expert Mathias Fasshauer from Justus Liebig University Giessen reveals that 88 percent of vegan meat substitutes are highly processed, compared to 52 percent of traditional meat products. These processed alternatives often contain high levels of fat, salt, sugar, and additives like emulsifiers or sweeteners.

In the realm of kitchen technology, air fryers are gaining popularity for preparing various foods, including potatoes, wraps, and vegetable chips, often with less oil than traditional methods. Recent testing by IMTEST also focused on health-conscious appliance shopping, identifying PFAS-free air fryers with ceramic or glass coatings, such as the Bosch Double Stack Series 6, as safer alternatives to those using Teflon.

Additionally, the gastronomy sector is seeing a controversial rise in the use of artificial intelligence to generate menu designs and food photography. While efficient, these AI-generated images often result in unrealistic, cartoon-like depictions of dishes that have drawn criticism from consumers.