Spoonshot CEO Kishan Vasani to Address Mental Health Aspect of Food, Beverages at Future Food-Tech Summit
Kishan Vasani, Indian American co-founder of Spoonshot. (foodindustryexecutive.com photo)
India-West Staff Reporter
At next month’s Future Food-Tech summit, Kishan Vasani, Indian American co-founder and chief executive officer of Spoonshot, will present how food and beverages support mental health.
Vasani will present “The Growing Role of Adaptogens in Tackling Stress” March 12 at 11:10 a.m. PT, the company said in a Feb. 18 news release.
The past year has seen a 24 percent spike in stress and anxiety levels as a result of the pandemic. For the food and beverage industry, this presents a range of opportunities to help consumers improve their mental and emotional well-being, the company explains.
With Spoonshot’s AI-powered innovation research platform, companies can create products to support stress relief and anti-anxiety, it adds.
Adaptogens, non-toxic plants that can potentially help the body resist stressors of all kinds—physical, chemical or biological—are considered to be helpful as relaxation aids and can even regulate mood, Spoonshot continued in its release.
Emerging adaptogenic ingredients like guayusa, ashwagandha, and copaiba, just to name a few, are being studied for their efficacy and have shown promising results, it says.
Incorporating these ingredients in food and beverage options can help reduce consumers’ feelings of anxiety.
With Spoonshot’s AI-based flavor pairing tool, which is now free, food and beverage manufacturers can more effectively respond to consumers’ wellness routines in innovative ways, the company says.
“Mental health professions expect to see far-reaching, long-term effects of the pandemic on people’s mental and emotional well-being,” said Vasani. “Food as medicine is not a new concept, but given the pandemic we’re seeing a revival. Food and beverage manufacturers can play a pivotal role in helping consumers manage their stress, which for many is at an all-time high.”
