ERIAFF Conference 2014 Seinäjoki, Finland Terhi Latvala, Principal Research Scientist MTT Agrifood Research Finland, Economic Research, Finland "Food and nutrition expert views on the identification of food reformulation issues regarding the healthier"

1. Dr. Terhi Latvala,
MTT Agrifood Research Finland
Identification of food reformulation
issues regarding healthier
food products
SALUX project
2011-2014

2. Intro
• Presentation of MTT Agrifood Research Finland
• What is SALUX project?
• STEEPV analysis: Technological and economic
challenges
• Main findings
• European Clearing House
20.6.2014 2© Maa- ja elintarviketalouden tutkimuskeskus

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MTT Agrifood Research Finland
is leading research institute developing
sustainability and competitiveness of the
food system.
Operating under the Ministry of
Agriculture and Forestry, MTT employs
around 750 people at 15 locations across
Finland.

4. MTT Agrifood Research Finland
Expert in responsible
food production and
consumption and in
food nutrition

5. On 1 January 2015 Natural Resources Institute
Finland will be formed
• MTT Agrifood Research Finland will
merge with the Finnish Forest
Research Institute, the Finnish Game
and Fisheries Research Institute and
the statistical services of the
Information Centre of the Ministry of
Agriculture and Forestry Tike.
• www.luonnonvarakeskus.fi/english
5

6. ABOUT SALUX
http://www.salux-project.eu
• Salux - European network to follow-up the
reformulation of manufactured foods -
reduction of the levels of fat (saturated and
trans fat), salt and sugar
• Identification and exchange of good practices
on the technical and economical aspects of
reformulations in small and medium sized
enterprises.
20.6.2014 6© Maa- ja elintarviketalouden tutkimuskeskus

7. Salux - partners
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8. STEEPV Analysis:
Finnish food and nutrition expert views
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Technological
Social
Environmental Values
Political
Economical
Identifies factors regarding food reformulation

9. STEEPV Analysis:
Finnish food and nutrition expert views
20.6.2014© MTT Agrifood Research Finland 9
Technological Economical
Identifies factors regarding food reformulation

10. Technological Factors
• Utilisation of technology:
e.g. fat quality (Omega-
eggs, Rypsiporsas®,
Benecol)
• Technological equality:
resources for all
companies
• Use of Stearidonic acid
for increasing the omega-
3 content
• Consumer acceptance of
taste and structure of the
new reformulated product
• More resources for
making healthy
product innovations
• Not all food properties
can be fixed at the
same time  solve
one problem at a time
• How to communicate
tehnological
advantages without
creating wrong image
20.6.2014 10© Maa- ja elintarviketalouden tutkimuskeskus

11. Economic Factors
• Nutritional quality as base
for public procurement
criteria e.g. in daycare,
schools and hospitals
• More nutritional expert to
the food industry and retail
sector
• Economic incentives for
healthier products ->
affordable price for
consumers
• Economic incentives for
food firm to reformulate
• Develoving better marketing
communication strategies
and developing corporate
nutritional responsibility
• Huge opportunities for
reformulated products in the
East
20.6.2014 11© Maa- ja elintarviketalouden tutkimuskeskus

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General findings
• Taste first: convince consumers - healthy food
can also taste good
• SMEs are short of recources and they need
special assistance
• Who is responsible for healthy eating?
• Food company provides truthful information
about the food product
• Main responsibility of healthy eating lies with
the consumers themselves
• Corporate nutritional responsibility

13. You are very welcome to join
Uploaded documents, SALUX reports,
Forum for discussion
Join us for free:
http://www.salux-project.eu
European Clearing House

14. MTT Agrifood Research Finland
Thank you for your attention!
Dr. Terhi Latvala
MTT Economic Research
terhi.latvala@mtt.fi