Food Reformulation in Ireland: A Workshop for Food Businesses

The Department of Health aims to reduce calories, saturated fat, sugar and salt in the Irish diet. Food manufacturers, retailers and the out of home food sector are being asked to use less calories and less of these target nutrients in many everyday foods. Voluntary targets finalised in December 2021 are intended to help people improve their diet and overall health.

The Department of Health established the Food Reformulation Task Force which 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. It will help drive progress towards the targets to reduce calories, saturated fat, salt and sugar in everyday processed foods and drinks by working with industry and stakeholders.

This workshop, hosted by the Food Reformulation Task Force, will provide a platform for conversation and information sharing on food reformulation in Ireland.

For further information on food reformulation in Ireland, please click here.

Agenda

09:15 – 10:00 : Registration and arrival refreshments

10:00 : Introduction

Dr Pamela Byrne, Chief Executive, Food Safety Authority of Ireland

10:10 : Policy context- Department of Health

Catherine Curran, Assistant Principal Officer, Health and Wellbeing Programme, Department of Health

10:20 : Enterprise Ireland

Supports for Businesses Working on Reformulation, Jim Murphy, Senior Technologist, Food Division

10:30 : Teagasc

National Prepared Consumer Food Centre, Shay Hannon, Manager

10:40 : Case studies:

Britvic Ireland

Target Nutrient: Sugar - Club Rock Shandy- Caithriona Millington, Liquid Development Manager

O’Brien Fine Foods

Target Nutrient: Salt - Eimear Crowley, NPD Manager and Lucy Doyle, Product & Process Improvement Manager

Sodexo

Reformulation in the catering sector – John Core, Culinary Nutrition Lead

Nestle

Target Nutrient: Saturated fat - Frothy Coffee Drinks- Beth Hooper RNutr, Nutrition Manager, Nestlé UK and Ireland

11.20 : Q & A

Chaired by Dr Pamela Byrne, Chief Executive, Food Safety Authority of Ireland

11.40 : Comfort break

11.55 : Parallel breakout sessions

12.35 : Lunch

13.15 : Feedback - Rapporteurs

13.35 : Closing remarks

Dr Pamela Byrne, Chief Executive, Food Safety Authority of Ireland