Ulrick & Short Highlights Potential in New FOP UK Labelling System

In the wake of the UK government’s announcement to introduce a consistent front-of-pack labelling system, which will help consumers make healthier purchasing decisions, food manufacturers are now under more pressure than ever to deliver products that clearly demonstrate positive nutritional values.

21 Nov 2012 --- This harmonisation of various labelling systems will use a uniform colour coding system or standardised wording to highlight the amount of fat, salt, sugar and calories in each product, emphasising nutritional profiles much more boldly to consumers.

Aptly branded in green, a colour which now widely represents healthy eating, leading clean label ingredient specialists Ulrick & Short Ltd is helping food producers re-evaluate recipes to develop finished products that display more green icons than red and amber ones without the need for costly reformulation processes.

When looking at fats, under the new labelling guidelines, any product with over 5g of saturated fat or 20g of fat will appear with a red icon or marked as ‘high’ in fats and saturates. Ulrick & Short’s functional range of fat replacements can help food manufacturers significantly reduce the fat content of their products, helping to get from red to green without altering the finished product structure.

Ulrick & Short’s range of Delyte fat replacements have been designed exclusively to match the organoleptic profiles delivered from standard fats such as butter and oil – making it a direct fat replacement.

Available for a wide range of applications including bakery, sauces and spreads, the company’s Delyte ingredients do not compromise on taste or texture and can extend shelf life and improve product succulence over life.

In addition to its fat replacements, Ulrick & Short can also help food producers reduce sugar in products such as flapjacks and other baked goods that require a similar form of binding. The company also has a clean label egg replacement for dried or whole egg.

Not only can Ovaprox help to reduce calories but due to the continued fluctuations in egg prices, Ulrick & Short’s egg replacement also offers potential cost savings.

Commenting on the government’s announcement, Ulrick & Short’s director, Adrian Short said: “There has been a lot of press coverage on the new standardised labelling system and the benefits this will have for consumers but little attention has been given to manufacturers and the impact it will have on them.

“Although this is a voluntary system, many leading food brands have already adopted the new labelling system as standard. Due to the substantial consumer hype surrounding this, food producers will have no option but to ensure that their products display more green icons if they are to capture consumer trust and remain competitive.

“Our team of food technologists can help manufacturers develop healthier products with more green lights and ultimately improved nutritional values. We believe the industry can achieve this without incurring costly reformulation expenses and as all of our ingredients have been designed with functionality in mind, they can be easily incorporated into existing recipes and in some cases directly mimic the performance of ingredients being replaced such as fat.”

Whilst working with customers to enhance the core nutritional profiles of products, Ulrick & Short will also give guidance on how they can get the most out of their ingredients and how these could be altered to appeal to a wider audience by removing particular allergens such as wheat and egg.