SAN FRANCISCO, Jan 19 — In 2015, turmeric, vanilla bean and cruciferous vegetables — think cauliflower and broccoli — will get their turn in the food spotlight, some in surprising and unexpected ways.

That’s according to the food trendspotters at the 40th edition of the Winter Fancy Food Show, which took place in San Francisco recently.

The trade show is used as a launchpad for many of the gourmet and premium foodstuffs which eventually make it to retailers across the US and Canada.

After perusing through the 80,000 gourmet cheeses, chocolates, olive oils and charcuterie from more than 30 countries, here are the biggest food trends and innovations singled out by a panel of experts from the the San Francisco Chronicle, The Kitchn, Sterling-Rice Group, and Better Homes & Gardens.

Cheese twists

Cheese is being reinvented with new products such as the “Grilled Bacon Cheeseburger Artisan Cheese” by Yancey’s Fancy, made with bacon bits, beef and grill flavouring, as well as manchego cheese-flavoured olive oil.

All-day breakfast

Trendspotters pointed to a number of breakfast-inspired snack foods including a strawberry waffle and milk chocolate bar by chuao, and cinnamon toast-flavored black tea from HiCaf.

Turmeric

Research has shown that turmeric, the terracotta-colored spice popular in Indian cuisine, boasts a host of health benefits including cancer-fighting, brain boosting heart attack-fending properties. Look out for the spice to infuse everything from tea, ginger ales, almonds and rice.

Cruciferous snacks

If you haven’t heard already, apparently the food world has taken a sudden liking, nay, infatuation, with cauliflower. Likewise, chefs and foodies are rediscovering the merits of broccoli. Look for broccoli chips, cabbage and Brussels sprouts to hit the snack aisles in various forms -- pickled, chips and crunchy bites.

Vanilla beans

Vanilla bean as a savory flavouring? This year, look for producers to come up with unexpected and unconventional ways to use vanilla, including aged cheddar cheese. Pure vanilla pods are also becoming increasingly popular as flavouring and are being used as the star ingredients in shortbreads and white chocolate. — AFP-Relaxnews