3.1 Changing
the amounts of some commodities in manufactured and
processed foods would contribute greatly to improvement
in the Scottish diet. As indicated in the Introduction
the principal areas where change is required are:
- reducing the amount
of fat, salt and sugar in the whole range of
savoury and sweet products and bread and bakery
products;
- increasing
consumption of fruit and vegetables and of the
complex carbohydrates found in pasta, rice,
cereals and wholemeal flour.
|
| Some
manufacturers and processors are beginning to adjust the
composition of their products to reflect, in some
measure, these desired changes, as is the bakery
industry. But, overall, the numbers doing so are small
and progress is slow. The reason for this is the current
low demand from consumers and the retail sector for such
products in relation to that for "standard"
products. |
| 3.2 Low fat
and reduced fat products are now appearing more
frequently on retailers' shelves but they represent only
a fraction of all fat containing products. There are
significant opportunities for manufacturers and
processors to increase the range of these products. A
number of barriers currently frustrate this. A few
involve practical difficulties relating to food
technology. But the others are rooted more in
conventional practices which the Action Group believes
are susceptible to change. One problem noted by
manufacturers and processors in relation to reducing fat
in processed foods is that tasting and rating trials
confirm that consumers often want a certain (high) level
of fat in products to assure maximum palatability.
However, assessment of palatability and the results of
trials are influenced by the customary diet of
participants, as discussed also in paragraph 2.11. Trials
should be conducted, therefore, with people with
differing, and known, fat intakes. Palatability should be
assessed over a period of gradual alteration in food
composition. In view of the long standing exclusion or
neglect of fat as a health issue when formulating
products, the Group considers that many products have a
fat content substantially higher than that needed to
produce a high quality product. There is, therefore,
potential for real reductions in the fat content of a
wide range of both sweet and savoury products. |
| 3.3 A
particular incongruity, as indicated previously in
paragraph 2.13, is that the butter fat skimmed from full
fat milk to produce low fat milk remains in the food
chain, for it is used as an ingredient in other food
products eg cream and certain ice creams, particularly
the "luxury" varieties. Consumers' butter fat
intake is, therefore, simply derived from other food
sources. And in some products, such as crisps, high fat
products compete unnecessarily with low fat alternatives
where there is little noticeable difference in either
texture or flavour. New strategies need to be developed,
therefore, to identify a range of low fat options and to
promote these through a variety of catering and retail
outlets. |
| 3.4 As with
fat, there are moves by some manufacturers and processors
to reduce levels of salt in their products. But a major
move towards lower salt contents, and specifically the
use of the more expensive salt substitutes in whole food
groups, such as bread and breakfast cereals, is currently
limited not only by manufacturers' and processors'
concerns about consumer resistance but also potential
competitive price disadvantage. There is a need,
therefore, for all the major multiple retailers to agree,
with their product suppliers, food product specifications
which stipulate reduced levels of salt. Children and
adults alike do not detect small, progressive decreases
in the salt content of products. Large changes, like a
20% reduction, have been readily discerned during taste
panel trials. However the palate adapts quite readily to
progressive 2.5% changes made over a period of months and
several manufacturers have pursued a successful policy of
gradually reducing the salt content of their products in
this way. This practice needs to be more widespread. |
| 3.5 The
target for childrens' sugar consumption is a reduction of
50% so that sugar intake represents less than 10% of
total energy. The general objective in relation to the
adult population is to ensure that their level of sugar
intake does not rise. The clear priority, therefore,
relates to children's consumption of sugar, much of which
is in the form of sweet snacks and high sugar drinks. The
Group noted that a number of food manufacturers and
processors are already beginning to reduce the sugar
content of certain products, possibly because of consumer
demand for products conducive to weight loss. There
appears to be no reason why this development should not
continue as consumers' palates adapt. Soft drinks
manufacturers, increasingly, are providing sugar free
diet versions of their products. They remain reluctant,
however, for marketing reasons, to reduce, even slightly,
the sugar content of their standard products (which are
preferred by children). Change will have to be driven,
therefore, largely by consumer, including parental,
demand. Those involved in large bulk buying, eg in the
public and private catering sectors, have opportunities
for specifying a new lower sugar content in the products
they purchase, thereby providing a commercial stimulus
for manufacturers. |
| 3.6 One
particularly effective approach, in view of the potential
significance for lifetime eating habits of patterns
established at an early age, would be direct action to
limit, or eliminate, the sweetness of weaning and infant
foods so that preference for less sweet products becomes
the norm, both in childhood and later life. If this were
achieved it would obviously have a lasting influence on
consumer demand across the whole range of food products. |
| 3 .7
Traditionally manufacturers and processors have been
responsive, rather than proactive, to consumer and
retailer demand, and their concern about the potential
commercial risk in developing new products in advance of
specific demand for them is understandable. The Group
believes, however, that the increasing consumer, and
hence retail, interest in healthier low fat, low salt and
low sugar products will require manufacturers and
processors not only to respond promptly to demand, as
they have done in relation to consumer demand for low fat
dairy products, but will also offer the opportunity for
them to anticipate consumer demand with a range of high
quality, healthy products which, with innovative
promotion, would enable the industry to extend its
markets profitably. It is clear then that, as with
producers, the manufacturing and processing sector has
scope to make a substantial contribution to improving the
Scottish diet. The Group identified a variety of actions
which would facilitate such development. |
| 3.8 The
Group considers that a prime factor in determining the
motivation of manufacturers and processors to contribute
to dietary improvement is the sector's basic knowledge of
nutritional matters. It believes that, although some
large companies have an appropriate understanding of
nutritional values, there is less awareness in smaller
businesses, particularly at the craft end of
manufacturing and processing. There is, thus, a need to
consider how awareness can be improved. Local Enterprise
Companies currently support a variety of training courses
on food hygiene, food handling and catering which are
aimed at a wide range of interests. However, only the
catering courses contain any nutritional guidance and
even that is limited. There is a need, therefore, for the
training provision offered by SCOTVEC and Industry
Training Groups to be extended to provide an appropriate
level of nutritional training for manufacturers and
processors, similar to that which we have also
recommended for the catering industry in paragraph 7.6 of
the Action Plan. |
| 3.9 A number
of opportunities exist for the food industry to benefit
from new schemes for enhancing food quality in Scotland
and individual small companies have expanded their
markets rapidly by producing new healthier food products.
There are technological developments which could be
applied to improving the nutritional quality of foods and
some of these have been developed by Scottish companies.
In reviewing new product development of healthier foods,
the Group came to the view that greater innovation is
certainly possible and would be of substantial commercial
benefit to the Scottish food industry. This conclusion is
in line with that of the Food and Drink Technology
Foresight Panel, set up by the Office of Science and
Technology, which indicated that there was a need, inter
alia, to improve innovation in small to medium sized food
companies. |
| 3.10 The
food manufacturing and processing industries should
explore further, therefore,the availability of new
technological developments which will enable them to
manufacture both their existing and new high quality food
products with a low fat, salt and sugar content. They
should aim, also, to make maximum use of those
commodities for which a substantial increase in
consumption is sought,namely fruit, vegetables, oil rich
fish, and complex carbohydrates in the form of rice,
pasta and cereals. A number of organisations exist which
the food manufacturing and processing industries may find
it helpful to approach for advice in matching
technological progress to commercial development. |
| 3.11 The
Scottish Food Product Development and Quality Management
Scheme, supported by the Scottish Enterprise Network,
could also help manufacturers to develop healthier
products where there is commercial opportunity in doing
so. The Scheme provides up to 25 qualified Food Graduate
placements, including placement opportunities for
European graduates, to companies for one year to assist
them in the areas of Food Product Development and Quality
Management Systems. |
| 3.12 A further initiative
which the manufacturing and processing industries should
explore is an audit of the fat content of products, as
proposed also in the Nutrition Task Force programme,
first to determine the levels in existing products and,
thereafter, to devise an appropriate mix of techniques
and new product formulations which will deliver
attractive reduced fat products. The Group is aware of
the discussions currently taking place in the context of
the Nutrition Task Force Programme which the Department
of Health and the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and
Food are undertaking with the food industry. Some
companies have already made changes to the fat content of
their products but the scope for continuing reduction
requires to be examined further. Manufacturers and
processors may find it helpful to consult recognised
sources of expertise and research advice on how best to
approach such an audit. |
| 3.13 The Group noted with
interest a variety of technological developments
including the development of fat replacers. Some Scottish
manufacturers are already able to produce, for example,
very large reductions in the fat content of their
products: these developments need to be expanded. It is
important, however, that any new fat replacer is seen to
be of nutritional benefit and does not disadvantage the
consumer in other ways while claiming the technological
feature of being "low fat". |
| 3.14 As discussed in
paragraph 2.14 of the Plan, there is a need to market
fish more effectively to the young. For this group, ease
and convenience are paramount, and this offers
opportunities for fish products and ready prepared fish
meals. Fish is less well represented in this category of
food product than some others, such as chicken, despite
being particularly well suited to microwave cooking.
Substantial scope for the development of a wider range of
fish dishes would appear, therefore, to exist and the
Group welcomes the study into new product concepts
recently commissioned by the Sea Fish Industry Authority.
The Authority, together with the Scottish Seafood Project
(which is supported by Scottish Enterprise and other
development agencies), should take steps to encourage
manufacturers and processors, specialising in pelagic
fish products, to take up identified product
opportunities, particularly those using oil rich fish. |
| 3.15 The Group considers
that industry and trade organisations, such as the
Confederation of British Industry (Scotland), the Potato
Marketing Board and the Meat and Livestock Commission,
are in a position to assist and support the manufacturing
and processing industries to increase the range of
healthier food products and to maximise the commercial
opportunities which they offer. |
| 3.16 If consumers are to
make appropriate healthy food choices, manufacturers and
processors will need to make sure that the labelling of
their products contributes readily to consumers'
understanding of the product composition and also of the
nutritional value. As discussed in paragraph 4.7.8 of the
Plan, retailers also have a responsibility to ensure that
their "own brand" products are clearly labelled
in this way. At present the labels on foodstuffs, subject
to certain exceptions, must show a list of ingredients in
descending weight order. Most food labels also provide
information on a voluntary basis on the nutritional
content of food. When a nutritional claim is made, such
as "low fat", "reduced sugar" or
"high fibre", the label is required to contain
information about the nutritional value of the food. It
is important, however, that such information should be
presented in nutritional terms which can be easily
understood by consumers. The Group acknowledges that
there may be some constraints to achieving optimum
presentation, in part because of the provisions of the EU
Directive on Nutrition Labelling. This Directive
currently requires all amounts to be given in a standard
numerical format of 100 grams or 100 mls of the food.
These amounts may also be given per quantified serving.
In this context the Group acknowledges the work initiated
by the Food Advisory Committee of the Ministry of
Agriculture, Fisheries and Food and the Nutrition Task
Force and the research initiative being taken by industry
interests, through the Institute of Grocery Distribution,
to establish the best way to give nutritional information
on labels to help consumers make informed and healthy
food choices. |
| 3.17 A further way of
clarifying for consumers the composition and nutritional
value of foods may be to provide such information at the
point of sale or in inserts which do not contravene the
EU Directive. The feasibility of doing so should be
explored. |
| |
| Action Points |
- Companies which
manufacture weaning and infant foods should work
towards products which are free of, or low in,
non milk extrinsic sugars. Catering and retailing
organisations can help the manufacturing and
processing sector in this by making joint
decisions on nutritional specification to provide
commercially viable outlets for new products of
high nutritional quality.
- The training
provision offered by SCOTVEC and Industry
Training Groups should be extended to include
nutritional training for the food manufacturing,
processing and bakery industries.
- The food
manufacturing and processing industries should
investigate how new technologies can specifically
facilitate the manufacture of existing and new
food products which are low in fat, salt and
sugar, consulting, as appropriate, with
recognised sources of expertise and research
advice in this area.
- The food
manufacturing, processing and bakery industries,
in consultation with the retail sector and
recognised sources of expertise and research
advice in this area, should introduce small but
progressive reductions in the fat, salt and sugar
content of manufactured and processed foods and
of bakery products; and in the sugar content of
non-diet versions of soft drinks.
- The food
manufacturing and processing industries, in
consultation with the retail sector, and
recognised sources of expertise and research
advice in this area, should develop a wider range
of products containing those commodities of which
an increase in consumption is required, in
particular fruit and vegetables, complex
carbohydrates and oil rich fish. Steps to
encourage product development using oil rich fish
should be taken by the Sea Fish Industry
Authority, together with the Scottish Seafood
Project.
- The food
manufacturing and processing industries,
consulting, as appropriate with recognised
sources of expertise and research advice in this
area, should consider how best to facilitate, by
audit and other means, a reduction in the fat
content of existing products to help achieve the
dietary fat targets.
- Industry and trade
organisations, such as the Confederation of
British Industry (Scotland), the Potato Marketing
Board and the Meat and Livestock Commission,
should explore with companies how to bring
benefit to their sector by joint activities to
improve the commercial opportunities derived from
nutritionally improved products.
- As far as is
practicable within current legal constraints, the
manufacturing and processing industries should
ensure that the information about the
composition, and also the nutritional values, of
their food products provided on labelling, and at
point of sale and in promotional material, is
presented in ways which facilitate the public's
understanding of these values.
|
| Note: Sources of
expertise and research advice in this area include the
Regional Food Technology Transfer Centres and University
research units. |
