The dietary requirements for a healthy and balanced lifestyle have been under increasing scrutiny as obesity is creating huge public risk concerns and financial burdens for the medical professionals charged with the care of patients with obesity related illnesses. In order to adhere to a healthy diet, research has shown that individuals should learn to eat proportionate amounts of nutritional and wholesome food, while removing some of the unhealthy options that one consumes.

There have been worldwide governmental responses to this situation, with initiatives and programs being implemented that encourage the eating of healthy food, with particular recommendations being aimed at fruit and vegetable consumption, with the 'five plus a day' campaign now becoming a universal message for maintaining a healthy diet.

Demand for, and consumption of, fruit and vegetables has increased over the last several decades as a result of a number of consumer preferences, industry initiatives and health organisation responses to healthy eating. Overall, the general population are becoming increasingly aware of the benefits of remaining healthy, which includes the principles of eating correctly to maintain this health, while research has highlighted that health compounds found in fruit and vegetables. Fruit and vegetables have always been a popular snacking food, but trends and recent developments in the snacking market have evolved to address consumer perceptions of inconvenience, as fruit and vegetables usually require some type of preparation before consumption can take place and often require to be completely consumed at the time of preparation with storage and longevity issues, and difficulties sometimes arising in their transportation. In reaction to these inhabitants market trends illustrate that manufacturer's initiatives to address these issues have resulted in the production of greater varieties and ranges of healthy snacking options with products including ingredients such as fruit and vegetable pastes. Key developments include the repackaging or repositioning of these products to make them more convenient and readily available, ensuring their suitability for snacking.

Market growth has been driven by two key consumer trends; healthier eating and convenience. Prompted by extensive media coverage of obesity related issues, as well as government sponsored programs encouraging the increased consumption of fruit and vegetables through the universal 'five a day' campaigns aimed to combat obesity and rising health costs. Yet life in a busy and demanding postmodern society brings rising time pressures and challenges for consistent mealtime allocation, with the traditional meal times being replaced with more sporadic and convenience based eating habits emerging.

One identified solution to resolve these issues is to address the perception and thus popularity of healthy food, with the development and promotion of healthy snack options, in a variety of processed and convenient forms, which contain fruit and vegetable paste. Innovations have included fruit snacks that maximise attractiveness in terms of colour, flavour and shape, mimic the popularity and mainstay snack food items and their packaging that appeals to consumers desires and encourages impulse buying.