The concept of food as nutrition goes back 2,500 years, Hasler said, adding that “functional foods” will be a top trend through the next decade. Examples are whole foods with phytochemicals, fiber and omega-3 fatty acids. Indeed, 66% of Americans are eating according to specific health issues. In light of the fact that childhood obesity has tripled in the last 30 years, 71% of Americans making food choices to impact their health are particularly concerned with losing weight.

Hasler cited recent research on a variety of issues, among them:

• Consumption of whole grains can reduce the incidence of stroke by 30% to 35%. Consumers eat fewer whole grains when dining out, which is an opportunity for foodservice operators and manufacturers to include more whole grains in menus and products.

• Almonds, which are an excellent source of vitamin E, also contain fiber that promotes satiety, which can make almonds a useful tool in weight management.

• Vitamin D is the “supernutrient” of 2010, Hasler said. Current research is exploring vitamin D’s ability to lower the incidence of cancer and increase the body’s natural immunity. Little known is that mushrooms are a vitamin D powerhouse—but only when cultivated properly. Indeed, button mushrooms grown in the dark contribute 4% of the recommended daily requirement of vitamin D, but when exposed to just five minutes of ultraviolet light, their vitamin D contribution rockets to 869%.

• Monitoring sodium consumption to lower high blood pressure will be the next big health issue among Americans, Hasler said. Although the current recommendation is no more than 2,300 mg. of sodium per day—which many Americans greatly exceed—expect that recommendation to drop to 1,500 mg. soon.

• Saturated fat is not as harmful to the body as previously thought, but good-quality olive oil, which is the primary fat in the Mediterranean diet, is extremely beneficial. Indeed, non-extra-virgin olive oil has far fewer health benefits than extra-virgin. Hasler is working with The Culinary Institute of America in Napa Valley to yield a “super extra virgin” olive oil.

• The antioxidants found in red wine contribute to heart health, and dark chocolate has an even greater concentration of antioxidants than red wine. Grape juice is not as effective as red wine in delivering antioxidants to the body, because alcohol in moderation also plays a health-benefitting role.

Harry J. Crane, CEC, outgoing RCA president, praised Hasler’s presentation, which was sponsored by Vineland, N.J.-based Eatem Foods Co., for the information it delivered to research chefs and manufacturers who are genuinely concerned about meeting consumers’ demands for wholesome, health-promoting foods with great flavor.

Hasler has been executive director of the Robert Mondavi Institute for Wine and Food Science since February 2004. From 1997 to January 2004 she was assistant professor in the Department of Food Science and Human Nutrition at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. She holds dual doctoral degrees in environmental toxicology and human nutrition.

The Robert Mondavi Institute for Wine and Food Science is a 129,600-square-foot complex of three academic buildings housing UC-Davis' departments of Viticulture and Enology and Food Science and Technology, as well as the administrative offices for the institute. For more information, visit http://robertmondaviinstitute.ucdavis.edu.