Nestlé Launches Nutritional Profiling System, Progresses in Stealth Reformulation Strategy

17 Feb 2016 --- Nestlé have launched a Nutritional Profiling System (NNPS) to reduce sugar, salt and fat and increase other healthy nutrients, according to a new study published in the European Journal of Nutrition (EJON).

The NNPS divides foods into 32 categories – everything from noodles, pizzas and cereal-based foods, to soups, biscuits, cheeses, dairy desserts and sauces – and provides ‘nutrient targets’ for a serving of each, according to age.

“This seminal work, done in collaboration with worldwide experts, is the foundation that guides the systematic improvement of our product's nutritional value. It is also the platform to launch the next generation of advanced, personalised nutritional guidance for our consumers,” said Stefan Catsicas, Nestlé's Chief Technology Officer.

Using international and national dietary guidelines, the NNPS limits specific nutrients in each category, but encourages others. For example, it advocates delivering protein and calcium through dairy foods, and wholegrains via cereal-based products.

“A good example of how NNPS is used in reality is one in Spain where the level of sodium in the diet is high using National Guidelines as a reference,” Jorg Spieldenner, Head of Public Health Nutrition for Nestlé, told NutritionInsight. “We have applied NNPS to our tomato sauce (Frito Solis) resulting in a sodium reduction of 40 percent over 10 years. It was done over time ensuring we maintained consumer preference.”

The new Nestlé study examined the composition of 99 of the company’s most popular products in the US and France in 2009-10 and compared them with the same products in 2014-2015, after the NNPS had been applied.

Applying the NNPS, Nestlé cut salt by 22 percent on average in eight food categories, and total sugars by 31 percent. It also reduced Saturated Fatty Acids (SFAs) and total fats, with children products having larger reductions. Energy per serving was reduced by <10 percent in most categories, while serving sizes remained unchanged.

The scientists say that more work is underway to confirm the extent to which reformulation guided by NNPS helps people eat more healthily and improves their health. Spieldenner explained more to NutritionInsight: “Further analysis of the use of NNPS in more food categories is being conducted to further establish how product innovation and reformulation, driven by a nutrient profiling system, can impact dietary intake.”

“We are also working to assess the potential population impact of the NNPS criteria through epidemiological and health economics studies, which will help Nestlé to further determine if achieving the NNPS nutritional targets for each food category does indeed improve the nutritional intake of targeted populations. This will help in assessing the effect of reformulation on a population’s health indicators.” 

This work will be presented at the Experimental Biology in San Diego, US from April 2-6, 2016.

by Kerina Tull