Addressing a changing global regulatory landscape for F&B players, Kerry has launched a digital tool designed to support manufacturers in optimizing the nutritional profile of products while being aware of the various front-of-pack (FoP) regulations. 

The KerryNutri Guide can measure food and beverages across a wide range of FoP nutrition labeling systems and guide the user to a better score. Food brands can use the scoring model to identify areas for reformulation and innovation.

The guide will help inform manufacturers in the creation of products that meet challenges such as sugar taxes, sodium reduction targets and comprehensive nutritional profile models.  

Measuring impact and calculating nutrition
The online tool can support brands in navigating this changing landscape, quantifying the nutrition score of products against more than ten global nutrient profile models and guiding users on how to improve their products’ scores.

Using data entered by the user, KerryNutri Guide measures the impact of a product that is packaged and ready for the end consumer, calculating energy as well as saturated fat, sugar, fiber, protein and salt content. 

The online tool can quickly calculate a product’s nutritional score to aid in FoP creation.The tool then displays the nutrient score of each input, showing areas that are close to or exceeding a regulatory or dietary threshold.

The tool’s launch is considered timely, as consumers often still struggle with processing the information conveyed on food labels. A recent Action on Salt and Share Action report flagged “misleading” nutrition labels across Kerry’s home market in the UK, calling for tighter regulations on sugar, salt and fat.

Tightening regulations prompt food shifts
Globally, governments are introducing taxes and restrictions on products that are high in fat, sugar and salt to combat health issues and noncommunicable diseases that place considerable burdens on public resources. At the same time, manufacturers have the challenge of creating great-tasting products that still meet these guidelines. 

“In the past five years, we have witnessed the most significant increase in nutrition restrictions and tax implementations to tackle obesity in history,” remarks Albert McQuaid, global chief science and technology officer at Kerry.

“Today, over 40 countries worldwide use a FoP 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 FoP requirements while also demonstrating how improving the nutritional profile can improve their score.”

With regulations varying globally, KerryNutri Guide offers regional insights and uses the data to replicate on-pack labels used in the EU, Brazil, the UK, Mexico, Singapore, Australia and New Zealand. 

For example, it will show the HFSS (high in fats, sugar and salt) score of the product for the UK market and can also display what sugar taxes apply for each region in beverages. In addition, the tool simulates what nutritional claims can be made on-pack, whether the product is low in fat, sugar, salt or is a source of fiber or protein.

“It can be incredibly challenging for companies who sell products into multiple countries to understand exactly how these labeling systems will appear on their product,” says McQuaid.Botanical solutions like brazzein make sugar reduction easier.

“We have a broad range of technologies that can support reformulation as well as insights to support manufacturers in a challenging environment. We need to work together to create a world of sustainable nutrition that is better for people and the planet – KerryNutri Guide is one way that we can support customers in our joint goals.”

Clean and simple swaps possible
Across the board, there have been many moves among food businesses to leverage functional switches toward simpler, natural reformulations. Swapping some sodium with potassium has already been flagged by nutrition groups around the world as a potential alternative that could reduce health risks.

In sugar reduction, potent botanical solutions like brazzein are seeing a surge in popularity, while bitter-blocking technologies are also in vogue. Some brands have been leveraging AI-driven software to design new chocolate varieties with less sugar.

Meanwhile, cultivated fats are emerging on the scene as a key solution to reduce trans fats and palm oil across various formulations.

Similar to the KerryNutri Guide, other digital platforms designed for food brands to conveniently map their nutrition profile have been launched this year. Last October, Tate & Lyle introduced a fiber calculator to track consumers’ intake and increase awareness around fiber deficiency.