The Food Safety Authority of Ireland (FSAI) has recently communicated to engage the food companies on the Food Reformulation Roadmap in Ireland.
Over four years (2021-2025), the food companies are being asked to voluntary implement the targets set by the Taskforce (Food Safety Authority of Ireland and Healthy Ireland at the Department of Health), these targets aim for the reduction of the levels of calories, saturated fats, sugar and salt in commonly eaten processed foods in Ireland:
- Salt: 10% reduction focused on the 76 food groups that contribute most to people’s salt intakes.
- Sugar: A 20% reduction is proposed in the sugar content of nine food categories* that are currently the focus of the Public Health England sugar reduction programme.
- Saturated Fat: A 10% reduction in the saturated fat content of processed foods that contribute most to saturated fat intakes in Ireland is proposed.
- Energy (Calories): A 20% reduction in calories is proposed, focused on product categories that contribute significantly to children’s calorie intakes.
- Products targeted explicitly at babies and young children: The FSAI will develop targets for this category based on its previous work in this area (2012 and 2018).
*Food categories: biscuits, breakfast cereals, chocolate confectionary, ice cream, lollies and sorbets, puddings, sweet spreads and sauces, sweet confectionary, yogurts and fromage frais, cakes, morning goods.
These targets are closely aligned to those applying in both the UK and the EU, where reformulation efforts are also underway and which share markets to a large extent with Ireland.
