Friday, 27 October 2023
The FSAI has published a consultation on draft reformulation targets for commercially available complementary foods. A Roadmap for Food Product Reformulation in Ireland requires the Food Reformulation Task Force (FRT) to develop reformulation targets for commercially available complementary foods (CACFs), which are foods marketed to infants and young children under 36 months (excluding infant and young child formulas and food supplements). The Roadmap outlines these targets will build on work completed to date by the FSAI on assessing the nutritional composition and appropriateness of CACFs sold on the Irish market in 2012, 2018 and 2021. This work found inappropriate CACFs, high in added sugar and salt, on the Irish market. These findings demonstrate there is a need to continue to improve the nutrient content of CACFs on the Irish market. Improvement of the nutritional quality of CACFs is a priority given the vulnerability of the target population and the potential for long term adverse health effects as a result of establishing taste preferences for sugar and salt, including an increased risk of obesity and chronic disease in later life. To address this, the FRT has developed draft reformulation targets for CACFs, aligning with infant and young child feeding policy and baby and toddler food legislative requirements. These targets are based on the World Health Organization and University of Leeds Nutrient and Promotion Profile Model.
For more information, please see the consultation.
