The Irish Food Reformulation Roadmap 2021 – 2027 sets out a national framework to support the development of healthier food products by encouraging reductions in saturated fat, sugar and salt across key food categories. Processed meat products are identified as a priority area due to their importance in the Irish diet and the opportunity to improve their nutritional profile while maintaining product quality. Teagasc is supporting Irish food companies in achieving these objectives by providing applied research, scientific expertise and product development support. Through close collaboration with industry, Teagasc researchers are helping companies reformulate existing products, so they continue to meet consumer expectations while aligning with national public health goals and targets.
Challenge: Optimising Meat Product Formulation and Processing to Align with the Irish Food Reformulation Roadmap
Consumer demand for healthier meat products is increasing, while manufacturers face the challenge of improving nutritional quality without compromising taste, texture or product performance. Supporting companies through this transition is a key part of Teagasc’s contribution to the Irish Food Reformulation Roadmap 2021 – 2027.
As an example of this work, Teagasc collaborated with a leading Irish meat processing company on the development of a reduced-fat meat product. The company wanted to reduce saturated fat content while maintaining the quality attributes expected by consumers. Since fat plays an important technological role in meat products, achieving this required careful optimisation of both formulation and processing.
Solution: Achieving a 10% Reduction in Saturated Fat While Maintaining Meat Product Quality
The project demonstrated the feasibility of reducing saturated fat content in a meat product while maintaining desirable product characteristics. The optimised formulation achieved:
- 10% reduction in saturated fat compared with the standard formulation;
- Maintenance of cooking performance and product appearance;
- Improved nutritional profile aligned with food reformulation objectives.
The project identified a commercially relevant approach for producing a healthier meat product without compromising other quality attributes.
Impact: Supporting the Irish Food Reformulation Roadmap and Enhancing Industry Competitiveness
This collaboration demonstrates how Teagasc research is supporting the implementation of the Irish Food Reformulation Roadmap 2021 – 2027 by helping Irish food companies develop healthier products that remain commercially viable and meet consumer expectations.
Working alongside industry, Teagasc researchers provide the scientific knowledge and technical expertise needed to overcome the challenges associated with food reformulation. In this project, the research resulted in a reduced-fat meat product with an improved nutritional profile while maintaining key quality characteristics, supporting the company in reformulating its existing product in line with the Irish Food Reformulation Roadmap 2021 – 2027 and strengthening its market competitiveness.
Although the collaborating company remains anonymous, this case study illustrates the wider impact of Teagasc’s applied research in supporting innovation and enhancing the competitiveness of Ireland’s food industry.
– “Working closely with the meat industry company, the aim was to overcome the technological challenges associated with saturated fat reduction in meat products while ensuring that the final products retained the quality attributes. This project demonstrates how applied food science can support industry in developing products that align with public health reformulation goals without compromising product quality. It also highlights the value of industry-research collaboration in accelerating product innovation and supporting national food reformulation initiatives”
-Dr. Cristina Botinestean, Case Study Manager, Teagasc
