14 May 2024
Building an understanding of what is and isn’t possible starts with the UK Department of Health’s Nutrient Profile Model (NPM) which is based on the following simple algorithm:
A food product with a score of 4 or more is classed as HFSS, whereas the threshold for beverages is 1 or more. Of course, not all food products are subject to HFSS legislation but as a general rule, if they are highly calorific and processed – such as ice cream, cakes, breakfast cereals, potato-based snacks or ready-meals – the new marketing rules will apply.
Should you wish to reformulate, the NPM framework essentially gives you two possible routes to explore. The first is to reduce saturated fat, sugar and/or salt (A points) and the second involves increasing fibre and/or fruit, veg or nuts (C points). But there is an important catch.
Don’t assume you can always bring the HFSS score down simply by bumping up the protein - C point - content. The legislation dictates that if the A score comes to 11 or more, you must bring down the saturated fat, salt and sugar content first.
It’s also important to be aware that every reformulation strategy has its pros and cons. Changing the formulation of an existing product will almost certainly alter the eating experience, so balancing nutritional needs with consumer expectations is vital.
What this looks like in practice very much depends on the product in question. Decisions will need to be made based on complex technical and commercial factors ranging from product performance and functionality to clean label and cost. Let’s take a look at some of the issues.
Lowering overall fat content, for instance, may cut calories but it’s also likely to compromise taste, texture and processibility. You may also need to add emulsifiers to make the fat that remains go further. Substitution on the other hand, such as switching from a solid fat to sunflower oil may seem a logical move but won’t do anything for calorie content because the total fat content remains the same. Plus, there’s an increased risk of oxidation and eventually rancidity.
Reducing salt is just as complex, with off tastes, consumer acceptance and shelf life all potential risks. Without forgetting the challenges of sugar reduction, where a gradual stealth approach has only limited application and some sugar alternatives raise questions around tolerance and labelling that will need to be addressed.
