The Australian food and beverage industry is taking practical steps to help Australians reduce their salt intake, the country’s leading representative of food and beverage manufacturers has promised as World Salt Awareness Week kicks off. “While salt is an important part of our diet, we know that eating too much can contribute to high blood pressure and other cardio vascular illnesses,” Australian Food and Grocery Council (AFGC) Chief Executive Kate Carnell said. “That’s... ...Read more »

New research has discovered that there remains significant potential for sodium reduction in Australian processed food products, as food manufacturers report progress in their attempts to reduce salt content. A definitive baseline assessment of current sodium concentrations in foods is the key to targeting reformulation strategies and monitoring progress, the report – A Systematic Survey of the Sodium Contents of Processed Foods – advised. An analysis of 7221 products in 10 food groups... ...Read more »

Despite the financial crisis, the food industry is continuing efforts to help consumers better manage their diets, an independent survey of over 1,500 food and drinks companies commissioned by the CIAA (Confederation of the Food and Drink Industries of the EU) in 5 major European markets has found. Over 20% of all surveyed companies reduced the amount of saturated fat, salt/sodium or sugars in their products last year, the survey discovered. A quarter of the companies stated that they increased the... ...Read more »

A commitment to reduce sugar levels in cereals advertised to children by an average of 20% has been announced by Cereal Partners Worldwide*, a global joint venture between food giants Nestlé and General Mills. In Australia, their brands include Nestlé’s Milo cereals and Uncle Tobys cereal. The joint venture said that the sugar reduction would be carried out using existing technologies – as well as through advances that will be developed by the new CPW Innovation Centre, once it is fully... ...Read more »

The UK Food Standards Agency last night outlined plans to consult on the prospect of voluntary recommendations for reducing added sugar and saturated fat in food products. The Agency is also hoping to increase availability of smaller single-portion sizes in a number of key foods – biscuits, cakes, pastries, buns, confectionery and soft drinks, and encouraging greater marketing spend on healthier options. “The Agency’s work to encourage industry to reformulate and reduce portion... ...Read more »

A range of popular snack food products marketed to children – including iconic brands Milo and Peters Ice-creams – have been made healthier by Nestlé Australia with the reduction of sugar, fat and artificial colours. After conducting a major review of its range, Nestlé Australia reformulated several products according to a new nutritional criteria – in line with the Australian Food and Grocery Council’s (AFGC) Responsible Children’s Marketing Initiative. Under the... ...Read more »

The UK Food Standards Agency (FSA) has launched a public health campaign to raise awareness of the health risks of eating too much saturated fat, with the food industry reporting that they are keen to continue improving in this area. The UK is currently eating 20% more saturated fat than UK Government recommendations, according to the Agency. The campaign will promote a range of simple, positive and practical steps to help improve our health and reduce the risk of developing diet-related illness. The... ...Read more »