How US Food Companies Can Improve Healthful Food Offerings
Consider 75% of Americans want less sodium in processed and restaurants foods.
New Report Outlines How US Food Companies Can Improve Healthful Food Offerings
Consumers are interested in healthier food options, whether they are following a specific diet pattern, trying to lose weight or searching for specific health benefits, finds the “2018 Food & Health Survey” from the International Food Information Council Foundation (IFIC). IFIC also reports that most consumers don’t know how to achieve their goals with their food product selection.1
This isn’t surprising since the amount of data and research published around health and nutrition, like other sciences, is vast and sometimes can be conflicting.2 To help consumers, the 2018 report from the Access to Nutrition Foundation (ATNF) based in The Netherlands, calls on large global food and non-alcoholic beverage companies to educate people about how various foods and ingredients can affect overall health.3 This organization—working to eliminate malnutrition and support better nutrition since 2013— proposes that some US food and beverage companies could create new strategies that some experts suggest might help in the fight against diet-related diseases. ATNF purports that companies have an opportunity to grow by refocusing on nutritional quality, distribution, and pricing of healthy products.3
Many large food manufacturers, though, have already adopted competitive strategies, including innovation, reformulation, storytelling, acquisition and investment, to respond to consumers’ healthier food preferences.4 Still, according to ATNF’s independent nutrition criteria, only 30 percent of some of the largest food and beverage companies’ products can be classified as healthy.
Additionally, ATNF states that only 14 percent of certain products meet nutrition criteria for marketing to children. 3 In light of the Children’s Food and Beverage Advertising Initiative’s updated Uniform Nutrition Criteria as of September 2018, which includes stricter sodium and added sugar limits to be implemented by January 2020, efforts are already underway to improve products marketed to children in the US.5
Lower Sodium Results Not Showing for Reformulation
The majority of consumers (98 percent) know it’s important for them to consider the ingredients in the products they buy, according to SNAC International, an international trade association of the snack industry.6 Unfortunately, many companies have yet to define a comprehensive set of reformulation targets, covering all of their products and relevant ingredients, including salt/sodium, saturated fat, added sugar, fruits, vegetables and whole grains, the report says.3
According to ATNF’s 2018 Global Access to Nutrition Global Index, many companies already have set salt reduction targets and have made significant progress in reaching those targets.3 However, the report - which covered two studies - shows more effort is needed by companies in the US, Australia, UK and in Indian markets to change overall sodium levels.3 In addition, the latest Nutrition 2018 Global Index reveals that from a regulatory standpoint, implementation of policies to lower dietary sodium consumption has been slower than expected, with just 32 percent of the 193 evaluated countries advancing reduced-sodium policies.3
The World Health Organization’s Global Action Plan indicates that all relevant stakeholders, especially food and beverage companies, need to play a role in achieving a 30 percent relative reduction in mean population intake of sodium by 2025, according to ATNF’s global report.3 There are estimates that up to 2.5 million deaths might be prevented each year if global salt consumption were reduced to recommended levels.3
Keep in mind too, when it comes to nutrition content claims, food and beverage products that are lower in sodium are especially compelling. Consider 75 percent of Americans want less sodium in processed and restaurant foods, according to recent results from an American Heart Association survey.7
How Cargill Can Help
As one of the largest food ingredients suppliers in the United States, Cargill knows we have an important role to play in enabling food and beverage manufacturers to continue to provide more healthful products to their consumers. And, according to Scott Gottlieb, “cutting sodium in food is the single most effective public health action that could be taken.”8 That’s why at Cargill Salt, we partner with food manufacturers to provide the expertise, tools, and resources needed to develop the right salt formulas for varying food applications.
Cargill Salt offers a wide variety of sodium reduction solutions, including Potassium Pro® Potassium Chloride, which can help lower sodium levels up to 50% in some applications. One initial tool that can also help food manufacturers begin the sodium reduction process is our 10-Step Guide to Lowering the Sodium in Food and Beverage Productions.
To learn more and to review our complete product portfolio, visit our website or call 1-888-385-SALT. For a simple, dependable, and flexible order process, become a member of CargillSaltStore.com!
Sources:
- International Food Information Council Foundation (IFIC), “One-Third of Americans Are Dieting, Including One in 10 Who Fast … While Consumers Also Hunger for Organic ‘Natural’ and Sustainable,” May 16, 2018. Go to: https://www.foodinsight.org/2018-food-health-press-release-diets-organic-natural-sustainable-trending
- https://www.theglobeandmail.com/life/health-and-fitness/health-advisor/navigating-the-confusing-land-of-contradicting-food-studies/article29032162/
- Access to Nutrition Index, “Global Index 2018,” May 23, 2018. Go to: https://www.accesstonutrition.org/sites/gl18.atnindex.org/files/resources/atni_report_global_index_2018.pdf
- New Venture Advisors LLC, “Big Goes Small and Small Goes Big: 5 Ways Big Food Is Finding Growth in the New Food Economy,” by Kathy Nyquist. March 8, 2018. Go to: https://www.newventureadvisors.net/5-ways-big-food-is-finding-growth-in-the-new-food-economy/
- https://bbbprograms.org/siteassets/documents/cfbai/cfbai-white-paper-final-pdf.pdf
- SNAC International, “Labeling & Transparency Webcast.” Go to: http://snacintl.org/
- American Heart Association, “75 percent of Americans Want Less Sodium in Processed and Restaurant Foods Infographic,” Nov. 2013. Go to: https://www.heart.org/en/healthy-living/healthy-eating/eat-smart/sodium/75-of-americans-want-less-sodium-in-processed-and-restaurant-foods
- https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/politics/2018/04/06/fda-chief-scott-gottlieb-pushes-lower-sodium-better-labels-reduce-disease-obesity/493138002/