Demand For Packaged Retail Desserts Plummets, But Still No Change In Ingredients

A U.S. study finds little change in the questionable ingredients contained in packaged retail cakes, cookies, pies, doughnuts and pastries sold between 2005 and 2012, despite a trend toward healthful eating. That trend is reflected in a 24 percent drop in consumer purchases of such goods, known as ready-to-eat grain-based desserts (RTE GBDs). Researchers acknowledged that manufacturers of RTE GBDs have to overcome many technical hurdles to bring new products to market that are both healthful and satisfying. Nevertheless, new products released in 2012 generally did not have fewer calories, less sugar, or less saturated fat than existing products.