Americans drove a record $55 billion in confectionery sales in 2025, according to the 2026 State of Treating report released today by the National Confectioners Association. Chocolate, candy, gum and mints demonstrate strong staying power with US consumers, with sales expected to climb another $7.3 billion over the next five years to reach $62.2 billion … Read more

Food additives are substances added to foods to increase storage time or modify taste or texture. [1] Despite a recent decision by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to remove certain synthetic dyes from the food supply, many types of additives are still considered safe. [2]  These can come from plants, animals, or minerals, … Read more

The United States (U.S.) food protection system is fragmented across federal, state, and local jurisdictions, resulting in duplication, inefficiency, and systemic failures that undermine public health and erode consumer trust. Foodborne pathogens such as Listeria, Salmonella, and E. coli do not respect institutional boundaries, yet responsibility for oversight is divided among more than 15 federal … Read more

Good sleep can be elusive, even when you’re making efforts to prioritize it. Maybe you already follow a nightly wind-down routine and keep a consistent sleep schedule. But there may be a different piece of the shut-eye puzzle you’ve overlooked: the bedroom itself. “Your bedroom plays a key role in optimizing your sleep,” says Angela … Read more

With the perfect mix of chewy and crisp textures, these White Chocolate Cranberry Oatmeal Cookies are loaded with white chocolate chips and cranberries. I fell in love with this combination at the first bite. And, I think you will, too! Just one search will show you that I’ve got dozens of cookie recipes on this … Read more

Have consumers soured on plant-based dairy products? Not at all—but there’s more work to do this year. Last year started as the protein alternatives group, The Good Food Institute, recapped plant-based retail meat and dairy category performance. “After growing dollar sales in 2023, the plant-based milk market declined five percent in 2024 to $2.8 billion … Read more

Be Careful With Salt Substitutes Salt Substitutes There are a variety of salt substitutes available to season your food that contain little or no sodium. You should be careful with these, however, as some may contain large amounts of potassium, which your kidneys also may have trouble filtering out. If that occurs, it can cause … Read more

When you’re living with bronchiectasis, your primary goal in managing the condition is to reduce “exacerbations” — episodes in which you’re coughing, breathless, and making more phlegm — and to prevent the infections that lead to them, says Panagis Galiatsatos, MD, national spokesperson for the American Lung Association and assistant professor at the Johns Hopkins School … Read more