-KH News Desk (cbedit@imaws.org)
Kerry has launched KerryNutri Guide, which evaluates a variety of front-of-pack nutrition labelling schemes for food and beverages. The online tool rates the nutritional quality of products using ten global nutrient profile models and offers tips on how to raise ratings.
The programme analyses the product’s caloric, saturated fat, sugar, fibre, protein, and salt content from the user-provided data and then presents the nutrient score of each input, highlighting any areas that are on the verge of or overstepping a dietary or regulatory threshold. The data is used to mimic the on-pack labels used in the European Union, Brazil, the United Kingdom, Mexico, Singapore, Australia, and New Zealand. KerryNutri Guide provides regional insights. It shows the sugar taxes that apply to beverages in each region and simulates the nutritional claims that might be made on a product’s packaging, such as whether the item is high in fibre or protein or low in fat, sugar, or salt.
“In the past five years we have witnessed the most significant increase in nutrition restrictions and tax implementations to tackle obesity in history,” said Albert McQuaid, global chief science and technology officer at Tralee-based Kerry. “Today over 40 countries worldwide use a front-of-pack nutrition label, and this can be challenging for companies who have products that are sold in multiple markets. KerryNutri Guide measures products against the various front-of-pack requirements while also demonstrating how improving the nutritional profile can improve their score.
“It can be incredibly challenging for companies who sell products in multiple countries to understand exactly how these labelling systems will appear on their product. Using KerryNutri Guide, we can innovate with customers to create products that meet challenges such as sugar taxes, sodium reduction targets, and comprehensive nutritional profile models. We have a broad range of technologies that can support reformulation as well as leading insights to support manufacturers in a challenging environment.”
