The FECIC organizes a workshop on improvement of meat nutrient profiles

The guidelines of responsible for public health, through the various agencies of food safety, have shown that one of the issues that must be addressed with regard to meat products is the reduction of salt and fat contentwhy companies need to know how can do it and what the current scene. This reality, which mixes the demands of the Administration with current nutrient flows, has led to that the manufacturers of the meat sector have to work to improve the composition of their products.

Aware of this new reality, the FECIC organized the II workshop on reduction of salt and fat to meat products, on April 14, so that technical professionals advise and inform enterprises both to comply with regulations and processes to be followed to reduce the content of the salt and fat in their products. The meeting was attended by approximately 80 representatives of different Catalan meat companies to learn about the presentations of speakers such as the Chief of service of evaluation and follow-up of the seat Advisor of NAOS strategy of the Spanish Agency for food safety and nutrition (AESAN)the Director of the Dept. food IFLA, the Deputy to the General Secretariat of CLITRAVI or the Professor of the UAB, Abel Mariné nutrition.

In this regard, Napoleón Perez, Chief of service of evaluation and follow-up of the seat Advisor of NAOS strategy of the support unit of the Executive Directorate of AESAN, explained the approach of the Spanish Agency for food safety and nutrition (AESAN)that he wants that, following its reduction Plan, salt, food sectors commit themselves to reduce the content in their products. From CLITRAVI, the European Association of industries of the meat, Enrico Frabetti, attached to the Secretariat-General, spoke on aspects relating to nutritional issues (salt and FAT) with which the European Commission is working and on some of the legislative and non legislative initiatives that are taking place in different European countries on this item.

On the other hand, Montse Prieto, Director of the Department of right to food of the Spanish Federation of industries of food and beverages (IFLA), dealt with how other food sectors face this issue and made an analysis of the actions from the IFLA is carried out to comply with this initiative by reducing content of salt in products proposed by the AESAN. Finally, the Professor of nutrition and Food Sciences of the Faculty of pharmacy of the University of Barcelona, Abel Mariné, spoke about the importance for the nutrition and food security of the use of sodium and how it may affect your reduction and the use of an alternative substance.

On the day was also held a panel discussion, moderated by the head of the unit technology processes of the Institute for research and food technology (IRTA), Jacint Arnau, where different businesses explained the solutions that can contribute to achieve these new products and which concluded with a tasting of products manufactured under these new nutrient profiles. This meeting, opened by the director of the Regional of the Agency of protection of the health service, Lluis Picart, is part of the actions of social responsibility of the sectoral Plan 2010-2014 of the FECIC.