London (NW): Matgigantene Tine, storehouse and Mills are working together to reduce the salt content of everyday food.
- Cheese, ham, liver pate and father's products are everyday products. When we get down the amount of salt in these foods may have a noticeable impact on public health, says Randi Kvarberg in the storehouse.
She is project manager for a three-year research project which the central Norwegian industrial companies to work with food scientists at Nofima. The goal is to reduce the amount of salt in cheese, cooked ham, pies and farsemat by 25 percent.
- It's not the usual product, but to use research to identify foods that are better for your health. The food industry is now working intensively to reduce the salt in line with the new dietary guidelines, says Roald Gulbrandsen NHO Food and Drink, which organizes food companies in the country.
Competitors
The project manager in the storehouse think it's natural that companies usually compete with one another, collaborate on salt.
- We have a common challenge when it comes to salt content in food. It is about salt substitutes, production, and how much we can remove the salt before it runs out of flavor. We know that consumers react if the salt is reduced too quickly, says Randi Kvarberg.
In addition to Mills, Tine, and storehouse participating meat company Ådne Espeland in salt project.
- We work across both businesses and industries and are thus a shared responsibility to develop products that are better for human health. There is no NOK, if only one of the food companies reduce the salt content.
Many tests
Salt The project will start this fall and has a budget of close to 13 million. The companies cover even 60 percent of the costs. The rest is financed by the Research Council.
- It is difficult to reduce the salt content of foods without compromising taste, durability and consistency. Many tests and experiments much production is needed to identify methods that work, says Camilla Røsjø in the research group Nofima.
The companies will receive guidance and help to run tests, evaluate results and add up the production in the most efficient manner.
- By focusing on research, the companies worked more systematically with salt reduction. It can speed up product development and cost savings. For the research, this means better knowledge about the companies and the demands and challenges they have in relation to customers and consumers, says Røsjø.
Contacts:
- Director Roald Gulbrandsen NHO Food and Drink, mobile 913 69 564
- Project Randi Kvarberg the storehouse, mobile 911 15 176
