Food & Drink Reformulation for Health

This seminar was organised by Interface. The Interface team help businesses with the creation and development of new products, services and processes by connecting them to the right academic expertise within Scotland.

Interface can also help access a range of funding options to offset the cost of projects and with team members located throughout Scotland, can help businesses wherever they are, whatever they need.

Presentations were made by a great many speakers beginning with David Thomson, Chief Executive, FDFScotland who highlighted the following:-

19% of Scotland's manufacturing is in food and drink.
97% micro to medium sized companies.
Help set Scotlands F&D policy
On diet and health FSS provide advice to government. Obesity is a hot topic.
At UK level there are policy elements that do impact on food sold on Scotland. Through reduced sugar targets. Reformulation and portion size. Tax on sugar sweetened beverages.
Pressure on food companies to make an impression on obesity is high. Opportunities to work together to make a difference.

Important because 2 out of 3 people in Scotland are obese or overweight. Significant problem since as a nation we have consistently missed dietary goals.

Why is reformulation important? McKinsey report suggests that portion control is the most effective way to tackle obesity. Allows the introduction of vegetables, fruit and fibre to a range of products.
New ways to access health conscious markets.

There are resources available to assist reformulation. More support coming from Scottish Enterprise and Interface. Food companies can be part of the solution not just part of the problem.

Howell Davies, Sector Engagement Project Manager, Interface
Explained how academics and industry can work together. They are about being “honest brokers” with a depth and breadth.
Food and Drink Themes include Health and well being, changing behaviours.
Interface aim to put knowledge into sectors, e.g. Reducing moisture content in cakes to increase shelf life.
Interface also convene F&D Sustainability group to share best practice and aim to do that through a Reformulation Group. They would address the challenges and assist making products healthier.

Professor David Hughes from Imperial College London gave a fantastic insight into what is happening in food and Drink sector. He mainly works outside Europe so he gave an international perspective and blasted through a number of topics.

Trends from consumers, they want increased focus on healthy products, looking for convenience across all channels. Shoppers are continually seeking value and values. They are seeking personal relevance and connections.

People do understand what they should do but don't really do it. Foods considered healthy by consumers are not always the same as identified by nutrition experts – Quinoa, Tofu, Sushi, Hummus, Wine! Apples, oranges, oatmeal are perceived as healthy by both experts and shoppers.

Protein is very fashionable but fish is seen healthier than meat.
Perception of protein for healthiness has improved.
Breakfast options: move towards more substantial breakfasts, rationale is a post recession saver and cuts down on snacking. Bacon breakfasts have increased substantially.
In 2016 of all meals 40% were solo dining
8 out of 10 by two together or solo.
Willing to pay more for healthy but meal solution is more important.
Preparation time has also been squeezed.
4 out of 10 household are solo in Amsterdam (5 out of 10 Oslo).
UK is ahead on providing packs of meal deals. Stir Fry meal deal e.g. £7. Ready meal aisles mimic the decisions we make if we eat out. It is not about the meat species. Thought process is – Chinese- Swechuan- then species.
Tesco offer 5 a day platters for office workers, urban women but pack is too expensive for families.

It is tough trying to change what people eat. Bread has had a slow decline in per capita consumption but artisan bread increased, milk declining and has white fish had its chips? White fish down but salmon up. Tea consumption down but speciality teas up.

US cattlemans – beef it's whats for dinner. Millennials will ask what's dinner?
In U.K. and most countries meat consumption is declining.
58% for health reasons
21% to save money
20% for animal welfare concerns
19% Food safety concerns
11% Environmental concerns

Meat has been demonised
Sustainable is a code for 'eat less meat'
Our meat consumption is three or four times above recommended intake.
Introduction of plant based burgers, there is now a Plant Based Food Association.
Flexitarian Sausage – Debbie and Andrew combination of beef and pulses. Eat Veg it's on a Roll.
Doubt if plant based products succeed when in 80s soya products did not take off but might have legs now because they are tasty.

Dairy products growth is in non dairy dairy. Alpro, soya
Mars and Snickers are into promoting proteins.

Food and Beverage Health & Nutrition Trends include Digestive wellness, Sportification, Personalisation etc
Industry needs to harness trends to get traction in consumer markets

Natural functional has wide consumer appeal, blueberries, popularity of soya milk, oilseeds rich in omega three or six.

When talking health, people express huge interest in healthy foods but is trumped by convenience, taste and price.

Marketing healthy foods to consumers is a tricky complicated business. What's healthy what is not? The story can and does change e.g. eggs

Comment from the floor suggested that Food for Thought an organisation that encourages a balanced diet was the way forward.
There has been a big price to pay for paying off home economics teachers in the past.

At the first break I spoke to Dr Carrie Ruxton, Nutrition Communications.
She can provide training so that butchers and counter staff could respond to health concerns about eating meat. She can also advise on how to make meat products more healthy. I propose that Scottish Meat Training engage her to brief both trainees and current employees. Consideration should be given to video presentation by her that we can hold on our websites.
In addition it is clear that butchers need to understand how to provide products for a modern and food-educated customer. They need to have a greater understanding of the make-up and nutrition of their recipes if they are to be prepared for future success.

Dr Emilie Combet, University of Glasgow
We should modify recipes to make products more nutritional.
Food poverty dictates that customers will not pay more than 50p of a premium on a pizza for example.
Emilie detailed the findings of a healthy eating focus group that will be forwarded to delegates on a PowerPoint presentation. This should make an interesting article for newsletter.

Andrew Mathieson , University of Edinburgh
Replacing saturated fats with edible organogels
Currently 15% from saturated fats when recommended intake is 11%
An organogel is like a shower gel but can be harder. Add to liquid polymergel – this in food would be starch. Obviously have been food grade and non toxic. Needs to be affordable, needs small amounts added to large amount of product to be efficient. Needs to match the properties of the old product.

Martin Ruck, Macphies of Glenbervie
54% of consumers are looking for products containing less sugar.
Martin outlined a sugar reduction project for which Macphies were supported by a £10000 Innovation voucher. They took out the equivalent of three cubes per 80g muffin and saw good uptake in the marketplace. Introduced by stealth because they did not want to run two products alongside.

Dr Matthew Wilcox, Newcastle University
Bioactive Alginates- Health by stealth
Dietary fibre extracted from brown seaweed.
Lipase digests fat in the diet, alginates prevent this happening, inhibits and allows fat to travel through the body.
Alginates tested in bread, at a level of 4% proved to be a success allowing less fat absorbed and more fat passing through. 8 out of 11 tested lost weight. Cost of bread may have been increased by 1p or 2p. Wonder if rusks would have same effects???

Paul Smith, Executive Chef at BT Murrayfield
Talked briefly about his Healthy Living Award. To qualify 50% of food has to meet the criteria.

Dr Athina Tziboula-Clarke, University of Abertay
Tendency to return to traditional foods.

Karen Knowles, Director, Bon Accord Drinks
Talked about health conscious consumers and reformulation of product and relaunch.
Created new soft drinks including Cloudy Lemonade, using 100% natural ingredient using coconut nectar, honey and fruit juice. Will produced 90000 by mid summer. Impact on sugar content.
Soft drinks market in UK is falling in volume but growing in value. One in five consumers are adults who do not drink alcohol.

Karen Scott, Rowatt Institute
The importance of fibre in reformulation
Fibre should be a third of nutritional intake.
Fibre is plant material, cereal, beans, pulses, fruit and vegetables.
Recommended intake was 18g now 30g per day.
Why do you need fibre? Various health benefits reduce our intake. Lowers blood pressure, reduces risk of heart disease. Important for bacteria in the human gut and has a number of health claims backed up by science.
Need healthier choices without being noticeable. Barley instead of wheat increases fibre in products.
Challenge is to change unhealthy products into healthy products with noticing.

Jane Shandley, iQ Chocolates – Superfood Chocolate
Saw the potential of chocolate as the new superfood. Chocolate makers not confectioners. Uses Peruvian beans that are not roasted. Fat in it is neutral in terms of cholesterol. Free from all 14 allergens. Has verified health benefits. Market in Scotland was not interested but when went to London there was great interest. Now selling in 13 countries with London still the largest market.

Prof Hughes close praising the passion for local food in Scotland and indeed Wales. He paralleled Made in Tasmania who wanted to differentiate with Made in Australia.

Follow up:-
Speak to industry suppliers to gauge their opinions
Dalziel (Robert Clark)
Scobie & Junor
Dalesman Group
McAusland Crawford (Bryan McAusland)
Lucas Ingredients

Chris Peace formerly of SFDF now runs his own consultancy, CP Food Technology Ltd. He should offer his services to
Avert the tunnel vision that exists
Make products consistently to same method and recipe
Give labelling advice
There is a need to encourage another funded reformulation project from Scottish Government.