Overview of Food Reformulation Roadmap 2021 – 2025
In 2016, the Department of Health indicated their intention to introduce a food reformulation strategy for Ireland. The strategy was published in 2021 and is outlined in A Roadmap for Food Product Reformulation in Ireland. This voluntary reformulation programme runs between 2021 – 2025 and aims to reduce calories, saturated fat, sugar and salt in food. The food industry (including food manufacturers and foodservice providers) is being asked to use less of these target nutrients in many everyday foods. The voluntary goals finalised in December 2021 are intended to help people improve their diet and their overall health. This food reformulation programme builds on progress made as part of the Salt Reduction Programme which was implemented by the FSAI between 2003 and 2013.
Calories: 20% reduction in the energy (calorie) content of foods (both brand and own brand) and foods served in the foodservice sector. There are 19 food categories prioritised for energy (calorie) reformulation based on their contribution to population energy intake. Food categories targeted for energy (calorie) reduction are described in the report Priority Food Categories for Food Reformulation.
Sugar: 20% reduction in the sugar content of foods (both brand and own brand) and foods served in the foodservice sector. There are 20 food categories prioritised for sugar reformulation based on their contribution to most people’s dietary sugar intake. Food categories targeted for sugar reduction are described in the report Priority Food Categories for Food Reformulation. These food categories include those targeted for sugar reduction in the OHID (formally PHE) sugar reformulation programme.
Saturated fat: 10% reduction in the saturated fat content of foods (both brand and own brand) and foods served in the foodservice sector. There are 16 food categories prioritised for saturated fat reformulation based on their contribution to most people’s dietary saturated fat intake. Food categories targeted for saturated fat reduction are described in the report Priority Food Categories for Food Reformulation.
Salt: 10% reduction in the salt content of foods (both brand and own brand) and foods served in the foodservice sector. There are 25 food categories prioritised for salt reformulation based on their contribution to population dietary salt intake. Food categories targeted for salt reduction are described in the report Priority Food Categories for Food Reformulation. Food categories targeted for salt align with those targeted under the OHID (formally PHE) salt reduction programme and the FSAI Salt Reduction Programme.
Learn more about what the food industry are being asked to do and keep up to date on food reformulation updates by joining our network.
Food Reformulation
All you need to know about food reformulation
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How does my food business begin to reformulate our meals/products/ingredients?
By reducing the energy (calories), saturated fat, salt or sugar content of your food product, you can provide better food choices to consumers.
Each business's food reformulation journey will differ. But here are some steps to get your food business started:
1. Check if your food products are listed in the forty priority food categories for reformulation and which nutrients they are targeted for.
2. Use our Decision Tree and Calculator to understand your reformulation starting point (baseline) and the nutrient composition for your food product to meet by 2025. This webinar provides guidance on the target nutrients for reformulation in priority food categories. It also provides and overview of how to use the decision tree and calculator to determine your food product baseline and 2025 target nutritional composition.
3. Consider your reformulation strategy – such as incremental reduction or ingredient substitution. Check out the case studies and useful resources below for inspiration. Check out the national supports described below.
Webinars and recorded case studies included here are helpful resources to support food businesses in understanding the reformulation targets and how to get started.
Food Reformulation Task Force Useful Resources
Webinars
April 2023 - Food Reformulation in Ireland: A Workshop for Food Businesses
April 2023 - Technical Briefing on Food Reformulation - Industry Queries
December 2022 - Food Reformulation in Ireland - A Workshop for Food Businesses.
June 2022 - Food Reformulation in Ireland – Defining Food Categories and Setting the Baseline
Case Studies
To hear more about how companies have reformulated their food products there are a series of case studies available here
Sugar
Dairy Consumer Foods, Kerry Dairy Ireland
Sodium
Saltwell - sodium reduction in pizza, sauces, et cetera.
Saturated Fat
Nestlé - saturated fat reduction
Reformulation in the catering sector
Sodexo
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Food Reformulation and A Roadmap for Food Product Reformulation in Ireland
The Reformulation Roadmap is a core element of Ireland’s Obesity Policy and Action Plan setting targets for the reduction of the levels of calories, saturated fats, sugar, and salt in commonly eaten processed foods. It was developed by the Obesity Policy Implementation Oversight Group (OPIOG), who are charged with delivering the Government’s commitment to combat obesity. Reformulating food and drinks, to reduce their salt, sugar and saturated fat content, results in better quality food options for consumers. Health considerations are the single most important driver of this need for change to the Irish food supply.
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Implementation of the Roadmap
The Food Reformulation Task Force is a strategic partnership between the Food Safety Authority of Ireland and Healthy Ireland. The purpose of the Task Force is to implement the Roadmap for Food Product Reformulation in Ireland and drive progress in food reformulation between 2015 - 2025.
The Task Force will approach the implementation of the Roadmap by identifying food companies who manufacture and supply foods that make the biggest contribution to the intake of target nutrients in the Irish population. These companies have the greatest impact on the success of reformulation in Ireland. Market leaders across food manufacturing, food retailing and catering will be identified and requested to reformulate their food products. Progress towards meeting the targets will be measured between 2015 and 2025. Further information on the approach to implementation of the Roadmap can be found these webinars and publications
Publications
- A Roadmap for Food Product Reformulation in Ireland
- Food Reformulation Task Force: Priority Food Categories for Reformulation in Ireland
- Food Reformulation Task Force: Nutritional Characteristics of Priority Food Categories for Reformulation in Ireland
- Food Reformulation Task Force: A technical report on the methodology for setting nutrient baseline values and evaluating progress
Food Reformulation in Ireland – Defining Food Categories and Setting the Baseline
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Background to Reformulation in Ireland
Salt
In 2003, the FSAI commenced the Salt Reduction Programme which aimed to reduce the salt content of 11 food categories and ultimately reduce population salt intakes to <6 g/day. This programme ran over a 10-year period between 2003 and 2013. From 2014 onwards, the FSAI continued to monitor salt content in foods on the Irish market.
An estimation of dietary salt intakes and key dietary sources of salt in adults in Ireland, by urinary and dietary analysis, was undertaken by lead institute, Munster Technological University, and partner institute, University College Cork. The study was based on data collect in the 2022 National Adult Nutrition Survey (NANS) II.
The study found that estimated salt intakes are lower for both males (11.6 vs 9.5 g/day) and females (8.8 vs 7.5 g/day) compared with the previous NANS 2008–2010 (Irish University Nutrition Alliance, 2011). Although salt intakes are lower among adults in Ireland than previously reported (2008–2010), population intakes are still above the FSAI population maximum target level of 6 g/day for both males and females, indicating that further reductions are necessary to meet recommendations.
The Salt Reduction Programme priority food categories continue to be a priority for salt reformulation.
An overview of the Salt Reduction Programme can be found in the report Salt and Health: Review of the Scientific Evidence and Recommendations for Public Policy in Ireland (Revision 1).
Results of the salt in processed food monitoring since 2003 can be found in the report Monitoring Sodium and Potassium in Processed Foods.
Trans Fats
Commission Regulation (EU) 2019/649 of 24 April 2019 (OJ L 110, 25.04.2019) amending Annex III to Regulation (EC) No 1925/2006 of the European Parliament and of the Council as regards trans fat, other than trans fat naturally occurring in fat of animal origin, intends to eliminate trans fats which are not naturally occurring in fat of animal origin in the European Food Supply. The FSAI has been monitoring the trans fat content of food on the Irish market since 2008. A survey of 240 food products collected from the Irish market in 2016 indicate overall levels of trans fatty acid in processed food products in Ireland are low and continue to decrease, with 97.5% of products having ≤2% TFA as a percentage of total fat. Trans Fat monitoring reports and results are available below:
Trans Fatty Acid Survey of Fast Foods in Ireland in 2008
Survey of the Trans Fatty Acid Content in Processed Food Products in Ireland in 2016
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Important updates for the implementation of reformulation in Ireland
An allowance for lactose in dairy based yogurt
Following feedback from the yoghurt industry and its representatives regarding the naturally occurring sugar content of yoghurt in the form of lactose, an allowance will be made. Research published by the FSAI in 2021 found in a sample of n= 191 dairy based yogurts on the Irish market in 2019, the median lactose content was 3.3 g/100 g with a range of 0.0 g–5.6 g/100 g. This is lower than the lactose allowance provided for in the Public Health England (PHE) Sugar Reduction Programme of 3.8 g/100 g. A Roadmap for Food Product Reformulation in Ireland sets out the intention to align, where possible, with the PHE reformulation programmes approach. Within this context, the Food Reformulation Task Force has taken the pragmatic decision to provide a lactose allowance of 3.8 g/100 g for dairy based yogurt. This allowance will be applied when reporting on monitoring activities by subtracting the 3.8 g/100 g from the average total sugar content per 100 g. Updates have been made to the reports A technical report on the methodology for setting nutrient baseline values and evaluating progress and Nutritional characteristics of priority food categories for food reformulation in Ireland to reflect this allowance.
The use of artificial sweeteners in the reformulation of sugar in food products and non-alcoholic beverages
Why should manufacturers reduce sugar?
High dietary sugar intakes in Ireland are an issue of public health concern due to the rising rates of overweight and obesity and non-communicable diseases (NCDs) such as type 2 diabetes. This situation is the basis for the call to the food industry to reformulate the sugar content of certain commonly consumed processed prepacked foods by 20%, as set out in the report Priority Food Categories for Reformulation in Ireland. Reducing the sugar content of food incrementally can allow consumer palates to adapt to less sweet food, ultimately changing consumer taste preferences slowly over time.
What is WHO saying about the use of artificial sweeteners when reformulating food?
A World Health Organization (WHO) report on the use of artificial sweeteners published in May 2023, concluded that artificial sweeteners should not be used to control body weight or reduce the risk of NCDs (WHO, 2023).
What is WHO saying about the use of artificial sweeteners when reformulating food?
A World Health Organization (WHO) report on the use of artificial sweeteners published in May 2023, concluded that artificial sweeteners should not be used to control body weight or reduce the risk of NCDs (WHO, 2023).
Safety assessments of certain artificial sweeteners
a) The International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) published a hazard assessment in July 2023, which categorised aspartame as “possibly carcinogenic to humans (IARC Group 2B)” based on limited evidence for carcinogenicity in humans.
b) In July 2023, the Joint FAO/WHO Expert Committee for Food Additives (JECFA) also conducted a full risk assessment which includes considerations on exposure and concluded that there was “no convincing evidence from experimental animal or human data that aspartame has adverse effects after ingestion”. This led to JECFA reaffirming their previous acceptable daily intake (ADI) of 40 mg/kg body weight.
c) At the moment aspartame remains an approved additive under EU law. The safety of several artificial sweeteners is part of a programme of re-evaluation by the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA). EFSA is currently re-evaluating the safety of two aspartame related food additives i.e., the salt of aspartame-acesulfame (E 962) and neotame (E 961). The salt of aspartame-acesulfame (E 962) is a mixture of two sweeteners, aspartame (E 951) and acesulfame K (E 950), while neotame (E 961) is a chemically related substance manufactured from aspartame. The re-evaluation of aspartame-acesulfame (E 962) will consider all new data on aspartame since it was last evaluated by the EFSA in 2013 and this will include the work that IARC and JECFA published in July 2023. EFSA will also update its dietary exposure assessment of aspartame as part of the re-evaluation of E 962. The outcome of these evaluations will be used by the European Commission and EU Member States (including Ireland) to decide on whether any risk management measures will be necessary for these artificial sweeteners. The IARC and JECFA opinions on aspartame and the EFSA re-evaluations of artificial sweeteners permitted for use in foods as of January 2009, according to Regulation (EU) 257/2010, mean the use of artificial sweeteners in food is currently under review and could be subject to regulatory change.
Advice for food businesses
Considering this re-evaluation programme and the possible updates to the additives regulation with respect to the use of sweeteners in food that may result, it would be prudent for the food industry to focus its reformulation efforts on sugar reduction rather than substitution with artificial sweeteners.
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Publications
Monitoring and Progress
- The Food Reformulation Task Force Progress Report 2023
- The Food Reformulation Task Force Progress Report 2022
- Monitoring Sodium and Potassium in Processed Foods
- Food Reformulation Task Force: Monitoring Sugar in Processed Foods in 2022
Reformulation Approach (Targets, priority food categories and measuring progress)
- A Roadmap for Food Product Reformulation in Ireland
- Food Reformulation in Ireland Powerpoint Slides
- Food Reformulation Task Force: Priority Food Categories for Reformulation in Ireland
- Food Reformulation Task Force: Nutritional Characteristics of Priority Food Categories for Reformulation in Ireland
- Food Reformulation Task Force: A technical report on the methodology for setting nutrient baseline values and evaluating progress
Consultations
- Consultation on Draft Reformulation Targets for Commercially Available Complementary Foods
- Reformulation targets for commercially available complementary food: consultation outcome
Guidance for the Food Industry
- Decision Tree and Calculator for Determining Food Product Reformulation Baseline
- Guidance Note 36 Best Practice on the Use of Potassium Based Salt Substitutes for the Food Industry
Webinars
- April 2023 - Food Reformulation in Ireland: A Workshop for Food Businesses
- April 2023 - Technical Briefing on Food Reformulation - Industry Queries
- December 2022 - Food Reformulation in Ireland - A Workshop for Food Businesses
- June 2022 - Food Reformulation in Ireland: A Workshop for Food Businesses
Other Reports of Interest
- Salt and Health: Review of the Scientific Evidence and Recommendations for Public Policy in Ireland (Revision 1)
- The Accuracy of Nutrition Declarations on the Labels of Pre-Packed Soups, Sauces, and Breads Sampled in 2022
- Reformulation of Breakfast Cereals: The Accuracy of Nutrition Declaration on Food Labels for the Monitoring of Food Reformulation in Ireland
- Reformulation of Yogurt - The Accuracy of Nutrition Declaration on Food Labels for the Monitoring of Food Reformulation in Ireland
- Trans Fatty Acid Survey of Fast Foods in Ireland in 2008
- Survey of the Trans Fatty Acid Content in Processed Food Products in Ireland in 2016
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Food Reformulation Research Paper Library
Visit the library about food reformulation.
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National Supports for Reformulation
Teagasc
Teagasc Food Research Centres in Ashtown, Dublin and Moorepark, Fermoy encompass a unique range of infrastructural capabilities, scientific knowledge and know-how to support companies of all sizes and stages of growth in meeting their product reformulation goals to produce healthier and more sustainable foods.
The National Prepared Consumer Food Centre, based at Teagasc Ashtown, is a state-of-the-art facility with cutting edge equipment that can provide food businesses with the expertise and technical resources that they need to reformulate products effectively. The Centre houses pilot scale processing and packaging equipment, which companies can use for research and development in collaboration with Teagasc and other innovation support organisations. Companies may also access modern analytical and sensory laboratories to characterise reformulated foods in terms of nutritional, compositional, microbial and sensory profiles.
To hear more about how Teagasc can support you, there are a series of videos available here
Contact Details for Teagasc:
• Shay Hannon, Manager, Prepared Consumer Foods Centre
Email: shay.hannon@teagasc.ie
Telephone: +353 (1) 805 9990 / +353 (87) 672 3696
• Ciara McDonagh, Head of Food Industry Development
Email: ciara.mcdonagh@teagasc.ie
Telephone: +353 (1) 8059546 / +353 (87) 1145120Enterprise Ireland
Enterprise Ireland is the state agency responsible for the development and growth of Irish enterprises in world markets. We work in partnership with Irish enterprises to help them start, grow, innovate and win export sales in global markets. In this way, we support sustainable economic growth, regional development and secure employment.
The application of research and innovation to business challenges is critical to the success of the Irish economy. We provide supports for both companies and researchers in Higher Education Institutes to develop new technologies and processes that will lead to job creation and increased exports. We can help companies of all sizes to engage in innovation and research activities. From €5,000 Innovation Vouchers open to all, through collaborative research, right through to industry-led R&D at the top of the innovation ladder, we are here to help.
These supports may be suitable to assist Food companies in the reformulation of their products. For projects to be considered eligible for funding they must demonstrate suitable levels of innovation and technical challenges.
Further details on the range of supports are available on the Enterprise Ireland website at:
• Innovation Vouchers
• Agile Innovation Fund
• Research, Development & Innovation (RD&I) Fund
• Innovation Partnership ProgrammeKey contact/more information
For further information please contact your Enterprise Ireland Development Adviser or email/call us at: rdcoreunit@enterprise-ireland.com.
If you are not a client, please contact your nearest Enterprise Ireland regional office.
Bord Bia
Bord Bia’s vision is for customers around the globe to recognise that Irish food and drink is world-class; that it is high quality, distinctive, and made by a diverse range of creative producers from a unique and fortuitous island location. Bord Bia’s purpose is to bring Ireland’s outstanding food, drink and horticulture to the world, thus enabling growth and sustainability of producers. Headquartered in Dublin, Bord Bia supports the national and international ambitions of Irish food, drink and horticulture businesses through its highly focused organisational structure and its network of offices in EMEA, Asia and the USA. Bord Bia acts as a link between Irish food, drink and horticulture suppliers and existing and potential customers throughout the world. Bord Bia offer a library service for clients and queries can be sent to thethinkinghouse@bordbia.ie.