Choices Programme Launched in Israel

Mr. Ron Guttmann – the chairman of Choices Israel – called for cooperation between the scientific community and the Choices initiative to promote dietary change in Israel.

2/24/2011 --- At the beginning of February 2011, the Choices Programme was officially launched in Israel, enabling products from various food categories to hit the shelves. More of these will be introduced shortly, along with a wide media campaign to promote the Choices programme and its advantages for consumers.

On 6 February 2011, a gala dinner marking the launch of the programme was held at the Ilana Goor museum in the ancient city of Jaffa. Forty key opinion formers from the fields of nutrition, medicine, and public health attended, and in the spirit of Choices, the dinner featured dishes complying with Choices criteria.

During his opening speech, Mr. Ron Guttmann – the chairman of Choices Israel – called for cooperation between the scientific community and the Choices initiative to promote dietary change in Israel. Two members of the Israeli parliament, Ms. Orit Zuarets and Ms. Orit Noked pledged their support to the initiative.

The evening also featured a lecture by Dr. Nelia Steyn, member of the Choices international Scientific Committee, entitled “Choices- the way to make healthier diets possible by providing healthier options in a global framework”. In a short speech, Ms. Tal Sagiv, general manager of Choices Israel, also described the criteria adaptation process that took place prior to the launch of the Choices Programme in Israel, as well as the vision and future activities of the initiative.

At the close of the event, a symposium was led by Prof. Elliot Berry from the Hebrew University of Jerusalem and member of the Israeli Choices Scientific Committee. It enabled participants to ask questions to the Choices team and members of the Israeli Choices Scientific Committee.

On 7 February 2011, the Israeli foundation held a press conference in presence of the Israeli Choices team, members of the Israeli International Scientific Committees and industrial partners of the initiative. Here, the importance of the Choices programme was thoroughly outlined and commented by various key figures behind the initiative, including Dr. Steyn. The event received much attention from local media.