With a name like that, it’s not surprising that months of research by the experts at New Mexico State University’s Chile Pepper Institute have identified the variety as the new hottest pepper on the planet.

The golf ball-sized pepper scored the highest among a handful of chili breeds reputed to be among the hottest in the world. Its mean heat topped more than 1.2 million units on the Scoville heat scale, while fruits from some individual plants reached two million heat units.

“You take a bite. It doesn’t seem so bad, and then it builds and it builds and it builds. So it is quite nasty,” Paul Bosland, a renowned pepper expert and director of the chili institute, said of the pepper’s heat.

Researchers were pushed by hot sauce makers, seed producers and others in the spicy foods industry to establish the average heat levels for super-hot varieties in an effort to quash unscientific claims of which peppers are actually the hottest.

That’s something that hadn’t been done before, Bosland said.

“The question was, could the Chile Pepper Institute establish the benchmark for chili heat?” he said. “Chili heat is a complex thing, and the industry doesn’t like to base it on just a single fruit that’s a record holder. It’s too variable.” The academic institute is based at the university’s agriculture school and is partially funded by federal grants, as well as some industry groups depending on the project.

The team planted about 125 plants of each variety– the Trinidad Moruga Scorpion, the Trinidad Scorpion, the 7-pot, the Chocolate 7-pot and the Bhut Jolokia, which was a previous record-holder identified by the institute and certified by Guinness World Records in 2007.

Randomly selected mature fruits from several plants within each variety were harvested, dried and ground to powder. The compounds that produce heat sensation –the capsaicinoids– were then extracted and examined.

During harvesting, senior research specialist Danise Coon said she and the two students who were picking the peppers went through about four pairs of latex gloves.

“The capsaicin kept penetrating the latex and soaking into the skin on our hands. That has never happened to me before,” she said.

Chili peppers of the same variety can vary in heat depending on environmental conditions. More stress on a plant–hotter temperatures or less water, for example–will result in hotter fruit.

The Trinidad Moruga Scorpion’s new notoriety is already making waves in the industry and among those who love their hot, spicy foods.

“As with all the previous record holders, there will be a run on seeds and plants,” said Jim Duffy, a grower in San Diego who supplied the university with seeds for four of the super-hot varieties. “Like Cabbage Patch dolls right before Christmas or Beanie Babies, it’s like the hot item.”

Not even Duffy or the researchers would dare to pop a whole Trinidad Moruga Scorpion in their mouths, but there are plenty of videos on social networking sites where heat-loving daredevils have tried.

The blood flow increases and the endorphins start flowing. Their faces turn red, the sweat starts rolling, their eyes and noses water and there’s a fiery sensation that spreads across their tongues and down their throats.

“People actually get a crack-like rush,” Duffy said. “I know the people who will eat the hottest stuff to get this rush, but they’ve got to go through the pain.”

Pepper experts said there are a handful of people who are crazy enough to subject themselves to the pain, but the rest just want to try out these super-hot peppers on their friends or make killer hot sauce _ and it doesn’t take a whole pepper to do that.

More bang for the buck is how Bosland describes it. He said a family could buy two of the super-hot peppers to flavour their meals for an entire week.

The beauty of the peppers is they’re not only the hottest in the world, but they’re also some of the most flavourful peppers, Duffy said.

“You can make a barbecue sauce or a hot sauce at a mild to medium level using small amounts of these peppers and it will be so darn addictive that you won’t want to put your spoon down,” he said. “You’ll want to eat and eat and eat.”

The report, Supermarkets: A Global Outlook by market research firm Global Industry Analysts, showed that food accounts for the majority of merchandise globally sold through supermarkets.

However, with changing consumer lifestyles and food habits, supermarkets are having to adapt their inventory stocking styles in the food aisles, according to a release.

As consumers look for choice, convenience an health products, supermarkets are offering more ready-to-cook meals, semi-prepared dishes, pre-sliced produce and single-serve or portion-sized packages.

Walmart continues to be the largest retailer, followed by France’s Carrefour, says the release. But South Korea, China and India are the fastest growing markets in supermarkets.

Discounters continue to get a bigger share of supermarket sales compared to traditional supermarkets.

Discounters are also offering their own-private label products to take advantage of price-conscious consumers.

Along with private-label products, the study found an increased preference for natural/organic food, free-range products, superfruits with antioxidants, energy drinks, ready-to-cook products and gluten-free goods.

Interestingly, when it comes to private label products, they’re gravitating towards superior and expensive private brands and labels along with discounted products at various warehouse clubs.

Private labels including AIPC, Treehouse Foods and Ralcorp are forecasted to increasingly gain market presence.

With competition among supermarkets intensifying, retailers are looking at more effective displays, and are using social media like Twitter and Facebook to promote their brands.

Consumers in the U.S., France, Canada, Germany, Japan, Turkey, South Korea and Italy are regularly downloading coupons on mobiles or computers.

Walmart has said they will deliver savings through social media and its in-store media network.

Moneris Solutions reported Thursday that purchases through its debt and credit card processing machines were up 5.8 per cent year-over year in the fourth quarter–which includes October, November and December.

The new data suggest that 2011 holiday sales may have been better than expected–some retailers have indicated that their sales were weaker during the period–and also shows that most of the growth was at restaurants and grocery stores.

Spending at restaurants was up 10.6 per cent, while grocery store purchases grew 5.6 per cent, Moneris said.

The data appear to be at odds with some early indications from retailers and consultants that holiday sales were disappointing due to cautious consumers reluctant to splurge.

“Despite the perceived volatile economy, 2011 was another great year for Canadian retailers overall,” said Jim Baumgartner, president and CEO at Moneris Solutions.

“We are confident that this trend will continue into 2012.”

However, others are not so confident that retail sales will improve this year as consumer confidence in December waned to its lowest level since May 2009 amid slowing income gains, rising unemployment, record high household debt and alarming signals from Europe. Those issues are also expected to persist well into 2012.

Spending tracked on Moneris machines was strongest in November, with a 6.2 per cent increase, followed by a 5.6 per cent rise in December. Spending in October was lower, posting 5.4 per cent growth from a year earlier.

December sales were fuelled by an increase in credit card use, especially during Boxing Week, Moneris said. Credit card spending was up 7.1 per cent last month from the same month in 2010, while debit card spending grew by 4.4 per cent.

However, the average price of credit card sales was down slightly–0.8 per cent–while debit card purchases inched 0.2 per cent higher.

The increase in credit card use could be a troubling sign, given that Canadian debt loads were already at record highs of 151 per cent of income going in to the busiest shopping season of the year.

Earlier signs pointed toward a slowdown in consumer holiday spending. A Bank of Montreal survey released Wednesday indicated that 76 per cent of respondents spent less or the same on holiday gifts, trips and entertainment than they did in 2010.

But the latest data from Statistics Canada suggested there was positive momentum heading into the season with retail sales exceeding expectations in October, rising a solid 1.0 per cent to $38.6 billion.

Retail sales data for November will be released Jan. 24.

Most analysts expect consumer spending to slow. In the past year, retail sales have increased by 4.4 per cent, while income growth has risen by 3.7 per cent. That means Canadians have been dipping into savings to spend, normally an unsustainable behaviour.

However, Moneris data, which does not include cash transactions, suggested the fourth quarter growth in spending was slightly ahead of its numbers for the third quarter, which showed a 4.9 per cent rise in spending.

The Moneris data reflected a trend in which the resource-rich Prairie provinces are outspending the rest of Canada. Alberta and Saskatchewan led spending on its machines.

December 23rd was the busiest shopping day of the year, when the number of transactions peaked in the mid-afternoon.

Online spending also grew by 14.2 per cent in the fourth quarter, thanks in part to the Cyber Monday trend–retailers offering online bargains on the first Monday after the U.S. Thanksgiving–catching on.

An article in the Montreal Gazette said that the study, which was published in Nutrition Journal, found that despite evidence that the consumption of fruit and vegetables prevent disease and obesity, most Canadians don’t eat the recommended amount of five servings.

“People with less education were not as knowledgeable about the health benefits of fruits and vegetables,” said co-author Sunday Azagba, a PhD candidate in Concordia’s department of economics who specializes in health economics in the Gazette.

“This study furthers our understanding of how finances or lifestyle influence fruit and vegetable consumption to eventually target groups to promote better nutrition policies.”

Data was collected from almost 94,000 people aged 18 to 69.

Other study results included: people with low education and low income eat produce about 4.5 times a day, while those with higher education and income eat it over five times a day; people with higher education levels ate carrots and apples more frequently, regardless of demographic and lifestyle factors; and people with a strong sense of community tend to eat more fruit and vegetables.

The study’s results show the importance of community-based programs in educating people about the health benefits of produce.

The study, published in the January issue of Eating Behaviors, found that nibbling had no negative effect on weight or body mass index, a measure of body fat.

The small study involved 58 Norwegian women, who were assessed on their weight, shape and patterns of eating. More than 90 per cent of the women reported nibbling at least once during the 28-day study, with 40 per cent reporting they nibbled at least every other day.

The study found the more nibbling a woman did, the less likely she was to avoid food or be sensitive to weight gain.

Researchers defined nibbling as eating in an unplanned and repetitious manner between meals and snacks. The authors suggested no link was found between nibbling and a higher body mass index because participants “presumably felt ‘in control’ of their eating.”

If the women assessed their eating pattern as feeling out of control, it was considered binge eating.

A key to eating well is being mindful, said Vicki Edwards, a registered dietitian with the city of Hamilton.

She said some people manage to nibble often and still stay within their healthy weight range, but for others, nibbling can easily lead to weight gain.

It depends on how you approach your eating. Let’s say you plan to eat an apple as an afternoon snack, she said. If you ate the entire apple in 10 minutes it would be considered a snack. If you cut it into wedges and ate it over an hour at your desk, that’s considered nibbling. Either way, the calorie intake is the same. Your total food intake, an apple, is controlled.

“In this scenario, nibbling could be part of a healthy eating pattern.”

On the other hand, uncontrolled nibbling can easily lead to excess calories being consumed.

“It looks like the bowl of peanuts that disappears one at a time, over the course of the evening. You didn’t mean to finish the bowl, but mindlessly it happened.”

Edward’s advice is to follow your feelings of hunger to determine how much to eat and when to stop. You should also plan your eating _ whether it’s meals or nibbling.

The baby boomer generation is shifting to healty eating, according to the annual Eating Patterns in Canada report by NPD Group.

According to the report, boomers are most concerned about nutrition when planning a meal, more than any other age demographic in Canada.

Two-thirds of Canadians 65 years of age and older (72 per cent) say that nutrition is as important as taste when planning a meal.

This compares to 57 per cent of people ages 18 to 34 and 62 per cent of those 35 to 44 who believe nutrition is an important factor.

As Canadians age, fruit and vegetables become more prominent in their diets as meat and protein alternatives become less popular.

“The baby boomer generation represents the largest age group in Canada and, in terms of numbers alone, they have a tremendous influence on Canadian market trends,” said Joel Gregoire, food and beverage industry analyst, The NPD Group. “As this population ages, their eating behaviours begin to change, giving food and beverage companies the opportunity to capitalize on this shift to a healthier lifestyle.”

Driving this trend is the struggle with weight issues, with 63 per cent of people ages 45-64 overweight or obese compared to 51 per cent of those 18 to 44.

The study also found that boomers are not only becoming more selective in the foods they eat, but are becoming much more disciplined in consuming three balanced meals a day.

Key concerns are the ingredients in food.

Almost three quarters (74 per cent) of those 65 years of age and older believe people should be cautious when serving foods with saturated fat; over two-thirds (68 per cent) are concerned with trans fats; and two-thirds (71 per cent) are concerned with salt or sodium.

In addition, Canadians ages 46 to 65 seek healthy options containing more fibre (62 per cent), antioxidants (37 per cent) and omega 3 fatty acids (35 per cent).

The top three labels Canadians look for on food are: low fat, whole grain and trans fat free, while the top three on beverages are low fat, light/ lite/ diet and vitamins added.

And boomers are more likely to follow Canada’s Food Guide. In 2011, just over one quarter of Canadians (28 per cent) claimed to adhere to its guidelines, while 44 per cent of Canadians 65 years and older embrace the guide’s recommendations.

“The consumer remains just as price conscious as ever, with little to no evidence that this will change,” a report by the firm said.

“Though margins are on the rise for both Canadian and U.S. processors, managing costs remains a top priority for processors to remain successful.”

The Deloitte report also noted the strong Canadian dollar gives companies the opportunity to establish themselves in new markets abroad that will give them opportunities for growth and increased scale and efficiencies.

“Given the smaller size of Canadian companies and the limited acquisition opportunities in Canada, new markets afford Canadian processors the opportunity to ramp up production to gain scale efficiencies,” the report said.

The Deloitte report noted the industry successfully weathered the economic storm and was on the path to improved profitability in 2010 compared with a previous review.

“Whether the measure is return on investment, return on equity or earnings as a per cent of sales, the trend is on the rise,” the report said.

“This performance has occurred over a tumultuous period that saw fragile consumer confidence, unprecedented government economic stimulus, near zero interest rates and the withdrawal of private equity from the mergers and acquisitions scene.”

The report was based on 70 companies including 18 Canadian private and public companies.

Acosta Sales & Marketing, a full-service sales and marketing agency in the consumer packaged goods industry, released its “The Why? Behind the Buy” report on grocery shopper habits.

Findings on shopping trends include:

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72 per cent of shoppers make a list for their routine grocery trip

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54 per cent buy more items on sale; 33 per cent going online or using apps to save money

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85 per cent of shoppers say store circulars influence them

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Acosta conducts “The Why? Behind the Buy” survey two times per year, and the respondents are more than 1,000 everyday shoppers, randomly selected across all generational, economic and ethnic groups across the United States. The current survey was fielded in July 2011.

To access the full report, visit www.Acosta.com/why.

Results of this study will be made available to retailers and consumer products companies in the industry early next year on NEW’s website. Top-line results will also be reported in Canadian Grocer.

Click here to take the survey now!

Those who complete the survey by Friday, January 6 will be be entered in a draw for the new Kindle Fire by Amazon.

The report says many Canadians are in the dark about how much sodium they should consume, and how to go about effectively lowering their intake.

It also says people, when asked what they should restrict as part of a healthy eating plan, are more concerned about limiting fat and calories than sodium.

The findings come from focus groups conducted for Health Canada researchers; a report on the work was released Wednesday as part of the Sodium Reduction Strategy for Canada.

Many researchers and several groups, including the Heart and Stroke Foundation and the Stroke Network, are calling for a national policy to reduce sodium content in foods.

The average Canadian consumes about 3,400 milligrams of sodium a day, a figure the federal government would like to see lowered to 2,300 milligrams per day by 2016.

Most participants of the focus groups, conducted in June in Halifax, Montreal and Edmonton by the public opinion firm Harris-Decima, agreed that sodium should be reduced–but only if someone else raised the issue. However, they didn’t know how much they were consuming or how much they should consume in a day.

The 2016 target is an interim goal for adults. Healthy children only need 1,000 to 1,500 mg of sodium per day. But some people are lobbying for even lower adult consumption targets, less than 1,500 mg a day.

The target was announced last year, after the release of a report from the Sodium Working Group. The announcement also called for the implementation of voluntary industry targets and for monitoring of sodium reduction.

The researchers found focus group participants were using the terms salt and sodium interchangeably. Sodium is found in processed foods; more than 75 per cent of the sodium Canadians consume comes from processed foods such as cheese, deli meats, pizza, sauces and soups. Pre-packaged foods, ready-to-eat meals, fast foods and restaurant meals are often high in sodium.

The report also found that some people think kosher salt, sea salt, fleur de sel, gourmet salt and smoked salt are healthier when, in fact, they have the same amount of sodium as table salt.

When participants recounted their own efforts to reduce their sodium intake, they reported reducing salt when cooking and not adding salt at the table. A more effective way of bringing down dietary sodium would be to lower consumption of high-sodium products, such as processed foods, the report said.

Many participants expressed surprise that foods such as breads, breakfast cereals and bakery products also contain sodium, even though they don’t taste salty or aren’t considered to be processed.

Most participants made the connection between sodium intake and high blood pressure, but few could identify any other health-related issues directly related to sodium.

There is a significant body of evidence linking high sodium intake to elevated blood pressure, the leading preventable risk factor for death worldwide. High blood pressure is the major cause of cardiovascular disease and a risk factor for stroke and kidney disease. There is also evidence to suggest a diet high in sodium is a risk factor for osteoporosis, stomach cancer and asthma.