It’s golf season, and that means it’s State of the Industry time. Have things changed much since last year? The sluggish economy is still bearish and has had an effect on bakers, though they continue to iron out new products and spin old favorites.

It can be rather tough for sweet goods products these days. The huge movement to better-for-you items hasn’t exactly been good news and a smooth fairway for this category. But bakers and manufacturers of sweet goods, snack cakes and other delectable treats are watching the demands just as closely as producers in other bakery market segments, and heeding the calls.

Baked goods have been a part of peoples’ diet for thousands of years, far longer than golfers have been hitting a little ball across a grassy surface with a long stick. As ingredients, production methods, distribution and a host of other factors have evolved, consumers at all income levels have been able to enjoy staples like breads and rolls, as well as sweet treats like cookies and pies.

The Plano, Texas-based company says that most products don't include gluten. Frito-Lay wants a new stamp of approval from the Food and Drug Administration to move forward on its plans to brand many of its products "gluten-free."

This month marks National Celiac Awareness Month, a time dedicated to raising awareness of a condition affecting approximately one percent of the U.S. population. Because there’s been growing interest and media attention surrounding gluten-free, especially as a fad diet, we at the Grain Foods Foundation are working to change perceptions of it.

In my first column in February, I highlighted the rapid growth of the gluten-free market and provided an overview of conditions that require a gluten-free diet for treatment, as well as other reasons why consumers may be following it.

Romer Labs, a food-safety diagnostic company, launches two gluten test kits for onsite factory testing and for quantitative testing in labs. The products use proprietary gluten-detection technology considered to be closer to ideal tests, as they establish an important link between Celiac disease and finding immunotoxic peptides in food.

When eating a favorite snack or bakery product, few people stop and consider all of the ingredients that give these products the taste and mouthfeel they enjoy. Consumers don’t care if the layer cake on their plate is moist because it’s made with a special flour formulation or that a gum blend makes the frosting smooth.

Nearly unheard of a decade ago, the gluten-free market has grown exponentially in recent years. According to the Packaged Facts report, “Gluten-Free Foods and Beverages in the U.S.,” this product group showed a 30% compound annual growth rate between 2006 and 2010, and the category is expected to balloon to more than $5 billion by 2015. These increases are a reflection of the development of new gluten-free products as well as the conversion of existing gluten-containing products to meet consumer demand.

In a move toward boldly-flavored, healthful products, manufacturers are finding innovative ways to meet the needs of consumers who favor sweet and savory bakery foods and snacks. Starting with the dessert first, familiar flavors and healthful benefits can be found in many of Wholly Wholesome’s pie products.