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When it comes to imports, however, Robinson cautioned that new food safety rules for imports could impact some overseas pro- ducers. The Food Safety Modernization Act last year imposed new safety testing require- ments for items imported into the U.S. "You are going to see importers adapt- ing to the new FSMA laws, and we might be missing out on some of our favorite products as the companies work on trying to get these products back into the U.S. and being com- pliant with FSMA," says Robinson. the interest in Middle Eastern and African recipes will lead to more demand for spices from those regions in the year ahead. Likewise, Robinson of Market Hall Foods says she's seeing more international pantry items from non-European countries, such as high-end soy sauces and sesame pastes from Japan. "Whereas 30 years ago you were tra- ditionally seeing European pantry products coming into the U.S., now those specialty products are available in a lot more places," she says. "Now you are seeing more of those types of staple pantry products from other countries." Middle Eastern Remains Hot Consumers are also continuing to explore international flavors and ingredients, especially Middle Eastern, African, Latin American, and Mediterranean, retailers say. Stallone of Peapod says Middle Eastern cuisines are probably generating the most buzz heading into 2019. He cites foods from Turkish, Lebanese, and Israeli cuisines as examples. "People are interested in foods from that area, and it also lends itself to healthy eating habits," he says. He notes other cuisines—Indian, Philippine, Indonesian, Vietnamese—that are generating a lot of consumer interest, and particularly, Indian cuisine, which is contributing a range of sauces, f lavors, and ingredients to the product mix. McNamara of Roche Bros. says that 2019 outlook Mark Hamstra is a regular contributor to Specialty Food News and Specialty Food Magazine. "Traceability is the single trend transforming the way the food system works and the way consumers choose just about everything that they purchase." Winter Fancy Food Show Booth 6924 52 ❘ SPECIALTY FOOD MAGAZINE specialtyfood.com