The low-carb fad is over. Baked goods are coming back into fashion as consumers look to glycemic indices and incorporating more grains into their diets. Although experts consider this category mature, a quick look at industry analysts shows that there is room for inventory improvements and innovations that will boost sales. -from pancakes and muffins to cookies and crackers - packed with whole grain goodness. (Look for our article on Great Grains next month.) Manufacturers are working to add more grains into their recipes, and fortunately, whole grains are much easier to incorporate than reformulating recipes to eliminate trans fats. According to Mintel research, the number of introductions of whole grain baked goods increased by 530 percent between 2001 and 2005. This figure actually includes a significant number of breakfast foods like waffles, pancakes, etc. although taste will always dominate, especially in the sweets and desserts category like cakes and pies. The convenience of more grain products matches their desire for healthier options through the foods they eat. Minters Cookies US, Update, April 2005, reported that many of the new cookie products introduced in 2004-2005 were health-oriented innovations. Pepperidge Farm, for example, introduced sugar-free chocolate chip cookies, offering a healthier, premium cookie option. [GRAPHIC OMITTED] A new report from Packaged Facts, Cookies in the United States, reaffirms this healthy alternative. Removing trans fats, switching to gourmet and organic products, and doubling the amount of chocolate in iconic cookie brands could transform the U.S. cookie market. These are just some of the improvements to the best-selling cookie bags as marketers work to avoid the sales slump that has seen the market grow from just over $6 billion in 2001 to $5.56 billion in 2005. Packaged Facts estimates that total cookie sales declined 8.25 percent in 2005, compared to their peak in 2001. The industry's success, however, has been achieved in so-called premium adult cookies, where industry leaders and boutique marketers have seen growth. Likewise, the growth in sales recorded by the various traders of natural and organic biscuits testifies to the fact that this market sector is no longer just a niche. "While the expansion of flagship brands such as Nabisco's Oreo and Pepperidge Farm's Milano lines has been a great success, these successes alone have only slowed down a rapidly eroding market," notes Don Montuori, the publisher of Packaged Facts..