Unilever unlocks healthier foods with positive nutrition standards for reformulation

15 Dec 2023 --- Unilever calls for the food industry to broaden the scope of product formulation beyond ingredient restrictions, following the results of a recent study conducted by its Unilever Foods Innovation Centre in Wageningen, the Netherlands. 

The study highlights the potential impact of the company’s Positive Nutrition Standards, which are defined to increase the consumption of recommended ingredients and nutrients and align with a healthy, sustainable diet.

Nutrition Insight sits down with co-author Julie Willems, global director of nutrition in foods and standards at Unilever, to discuss the study’s outcomes and the company’s process toward producing healthier food offerings. 

“This study demonstrates the scientific rationale behind the Unilever Positive Nutrition Standards and shows the value of reformulating foods using these,” says Willems. 

“With the publication of these standards, we hope to inspire more organizations to set reformulation targets or nutrition profiling methods that will help more consumers shift to healthy and sustainable diets.” 

According to the study’s authors, Positive Nutrition Standards “reflect dietary guidelines, are set at an impactful amount and encourage the transition toward more sustainable healthy plant-forward diets while also considering the potential implications of this move on nutrient intakes.”

Positive Nutrition Standards 
The standards used in the study published in Frontiers in Nutrition were set by translating WHO and Codex guidance into product group standards that consider the role of the product group in the diet, including serving size and consumption frequency. 

The Positive Nutrition Standards are based on WHO and Codex guidance for ingredient and micronutrient intake.Specifically, the standards cover ingredients (fruits, vegetables, pulses, fungi, nuts, seeds, whole grains and dairy), macronutrients (protein, fiber, omega-3 fatty acids) and micronutrients (vitamins A, B2, B9, B12, C, D and E, plus calcium, iron, iodine, potassium, magnesium and zinc). 

For each ingredient and nutrient, the standards specify content per serving size. These vary across product groups, depending on the role of the product in the diet, appropriate serving size and relevance of including the ingredient. 

For example, the content of fruits, vegetables, nuts and legumes is set at 80 g/serving for main meals, plant protein and soups but at 30 g/serving for products consumed more regularly as part of a meal, such as bread products, cereals and meal sauces. The standards only set a content level for omega-3 fatty acids in emulsion-based sauces and cooking fats. 

To meet requirements for EU nutrition claims, such as “Source of,” all food products should contain micronutrients at 15% of recommended daily intake per serving. The standard for whole grains is set at 8 g/serving, protein is set at 5 g per 100 g for most products and fiber content is set at 3 g per 100 g. Plant protein products should contain at least 10 g per 100 g so the products can make a “rich in” protein claim. 

Reformulating food portfolio 
The researchers modeled the potential impact of reformulating foods to meet positive nutrition standards for vegetables, wholegrain and fiber. They used US food consumption data from the 2017-2018 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, the only survey with available data to calculate ingredient and nutrient intakes. 

This model reveals that reformulating foods according to the standards may increase intake closer to recommendations. Vegetable consumption could be increased by 54%, whole grains by 112% and fiber by 30-34%. These increases would come from increased nutrients in processed products such as meals, soups, sauces, snacks and bread. 

Willems explains that in 2020, Unilever shared its Future Food commitments, including the company’s goal to double the number of products sold that deliver positive nutrition by 2025. 

“We are making good progress toward this ambition. As of 2022, 48% of the products we sold delivered positive nutrition (up from 41% in 2021) — with a target of reaching 54% by 2025.” 

Unilever aims to increase the number of ingredients such as vegetables, fruits and micronutrients in its products.She adds that the study powers the reformulation and innovation of Unilever’s food portfolio. “The nutritious ingredients in many of our products provide the micronutrients, protein or fiber that people need as part of a balanced diet. We include seasonal fruits and vegetables, beans and pulses, wholegrains and healthy oils.” 

“Our positive nutrition commitment aims to increase the number of ingredients such as vegetables, fruits and micronutrients in our products. These ingredients that international dietary recommendations suggest should be a regular part of a healthy and sustainable diet, as they are good for people and the planet.” 

 “In addition, Unilever continues applying these standards to limit ingredients such as saturated fat, salt and sugars.” 

Fortified foods 
Willems underscores that Unilever offers consumers positive nutrition through food fortification in its brands such as Knorr, Horlicks, Maizena and Royco. 

“Since 2017, we have delivered more than 236 billion servings of products fortified with critical micronutrients, including vitamin A and D, iodine, iron and zinc — exceeding our target of 200 billion.” 

She highlights several examples, such as Knorr’s all-in-one bouillon cube fortified with iodine and zinc to tackle prevalent micronutrient deficiencies in Ethiopia or how Rocyo’s chicken and beef bouillon powders in Indonesia are made with iodized salt to help support children’s growth and development. 

“In India, Horlicks drinks are fortified with critical micronutrients such as zinc and vitamins C and D, known to support immunity. In Latin America, Maizena offers different ranges of atoles, coladas and porridges fortified with a complex of micronutrients — vitamins A, B and C and iron and zinc for healthy development.”

Moreover, Willems details that this year, the Vegetarian Butcher “reformulated its products such as chicken-style Chunks ‘What the Cluck,’ the sausages ‘Little Willies,’ chicken-style filet ‘Impeckable’ and Swedish Meatballs ‘Unbelievaballs’ to be fortified with iron and B12.” 

Inspiring healthy cooking 
Willems notes that in addition to reformulating its products according to positive nutrition standards, Unilever has also developed a “Healthy Recipe Framework.” This aims to improve the nutritional value of the recipes the company shares on brand websites, packaging, and with its foodservice partners. 

“In this way, we’re empowering people to cook simple, healthier meals with varied ingredients suitable for different lifestyles.” 

Moreover, she highlights that Unilever offers various “scratch cooking aids,” such as Knorr stock cubes and seasonings, which inspire people to create affordable meals and avoid food waste through the company’s recipes. 

A multistakeholder approach may be needed to encourage consumers to make additional, healthy dietary shifts.“As part of our positive nutrition commitment, we are also developing new products to enhance the vegetable content on people’s plates,” adds Willems. 

“For example, our Knorr dried vegetable soups around the globe deliver up to 290 g of vegetables per serving — more than half of the daily amount of fruit and vegetables recommended by the WHO. We can lock in their nutrient goodness by picking vegetables at their peak and drying them gently.”

“In the US, we’ve introduced new microwavable Knorr Rice Cups made of over 1/4 cup of vegetables and contain 6-7 g of protein per cup, which are easy and quick to prepare.” 

Stakeholder support 
While the standards may serve as a positive example in discussions on nutrient profiling and standard setting, the authors note that a multistakeholder approach is needed to encourage consumers to make additional dietary shifts to meet recommended daily values. 

“There is an important role for stakeholders like health authorities and governments to play in raising consumer awareness on the importance of a healthy and sustainable diet and increasing the share of nutritious plant-based foods,” explains Willems. 

“While we believe our products and recipes provide consumers with solutions to meet their nutritional needs, we must collaborate across the industry with partners such as government organizations, NGOs and retailers to make positive nutrition more accessible and influence a dietary shift at scale.” 

She highlights the Unilever Healthy Eating program as an example of such an approach. 

“In Indonesia and the Philippines, we work closely with local governments, community stakeholders and NGOs to develop Royco Nutrimenu and Knorr Nutri Sarap, which support households of all income levels to prepare nutritious and budget-friendly meals per national dietary guidance.” 

By Jolanda van Hal