Ice cream formulation and innovation are high on the agenda of Euroglaces’ members as one of their key responsibilities in relation to nutrition and health.
There are several routes the European ice cream industry is following to reduce the intake of the “nutrients of concern” (energy, sugars, saturated fats) from ice creams, including
1. Reformulation of current products to reduce the “nutrients of concern”,
2. Reduction in the size of products wrapped individually and increase the availability of smaller pack sizes, for example mini versions,
3. Innovation: the development of new products with lower energy, sugars and/or saturated fat levels to be marketed alongside current products and increase the range of products available to consumers.
In 2013 Euroglaces revised its Code for Edible Ices by decreasing the minimum dairy fat content for dairy ice cream from 8% to 5% to enable the development of products with a lower fat level. Euroglaces recommends that local ice cream codes and/or regulations follow this revised approach.
Through its network, Euroglaces is committed to further encourage and support ice cream companies, particularly Small and Medium Enterprises, who sometimes face more difficulties to improve the nutritional quality of their products through product innovation and reformulation. To this end, in 2014 Euroglaces provided members with recommendations and supporting tools which they can build on in achieving this.
Many Euroglaces members have made significant innovation and reformulation efforts over the past decade to offer consumers a wider range of ice cream options with reduced sugars and/or saturated fat levels and in smaller portion sizes.
In addition, in some countries such as Belgium, France and Italy the national ice cream industry associations have encouraged their members to commit to a reduction of the average levels of some nutrients of concern and some have taken a position on product formulation/reformulation.
To find out more about what members are doing, click here.
