Ferré & Consulting Blog (English Version)

Obesity is becoming a worldwide problem with Germany and Austria facing growing problems as statistics show that Germans spend 105 minutes a day eating. Guest writer Dr Andreas Vollmar, head of development at backaldrin, looks into the issue.

When people of normal weight become a minority of the population, it is time to take action, though it is hard to know exactly what to do.

However, it is easy to explain what bread and wholegrain bread can contribute, namely dietary fibre, optimally 30 grams per day.

According to a recent Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) study, Germans spend 105 minutes a day eating.

The country ranks in the upper mid-range in an international comparison.

In contrast, the French take 135 minutes each day to eat, whereas Mexicans and Canadians only a good hour.

In terms of nutrition physiology, experts have their doubts as to whether the food which is served has much value.

A closer look at current nutrition reports for Austrian and Germany concludes that the body mass index of people in both countries is usually beyond the level of 25.

“The increase in obesity and adiposity for men and women of all age groups is very worrisome”, says Ibrahim Elmadfa, Professor at the Institute of Nutritional Sciences of the University of Vienna and publisher of the study, summarizing the results for Austria.

His German colleague, Helmut Heseker, vice president of the German Nutrition Society (DGE) and professor at the University of Paderbon, agrees.

“Men and women of normal weight in Germany who are over 35 and 55 respectively are now outnumbered by their overweight counterparts.

“The conclusion to be drawn by the increase in the number of adults afflicted with pre-adiposity and adiposity is that these conditions are the inevitable consequences of overnutrition and a lack of exercise”, Heseker explains.

Normal-weight minority

Very small children are already overweight. Almost every fifth pupil in Austria between the ages of 6 and 15 is overweight. In Germany, about 15 per cent of the people in the age group from three to 17 are overweight or obese.

In Austria, 42 per cent of the 18 to 65 year old are overweight, 11 per cent with adiposity.

Germany is even worse off.

The consequences of excess weight on people’s health are well known: cardiovascular disease, type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure or diseases of the muscular and skeletal systems.

Having excess weight and being obese are not only risk factors for individuals, but have far-reaching social and economic consequences for the health care system.

The world Health Organisation (WHO) already speaks of a “global adiposity epidemic”.

According to estimates made by the WHO, about 1.6 billion people 15 or older were overweight around the world in the year 2005.

Health is important

Knowing and doing are two completely different things with regards to eating, as we well know from other situations. This has been conclusively shown by a recent study. The market research institute, Dialego, interviewed 1,000 people in Germany in April 2009 concerning the topic of “nutrition” and 71 per cent of the respondents said that healthy nutrition is very important to them but only a third of them rated their own eating habits as healthy.

In economically difficult times, many people are once again attaching greater importance to their health, as another survey concludes, with 85 per cent of 1,000 people taking part in a survy implemented by the Austrian Market Institute in March said they are wondering “what one can do for one´s own health”,

The nutrition reports in Austria and Germany are appearing at just the right time. They show precisely what is being done wrong, and what steps consumers can take to improve their nutrition in line with the slogan “The most important thing is to be healthy”.

Although an increasing number of people are overweight, “the intake of nutritional energy is below the reference values for all population groups”, according to Elmadfa in commenting on the results of the Austrian Nutrition Report.

On average, people do not usually exceed the recommended maximum reference value for their daily energy nedds. This amounts to 2,300 kcal for adult women and 2,900 kcal for adult men.

Actually, this seems to be good news, except for the fact that there are two big “buts”. First, “the reference values apply to people with a medium level of physical activity, which is not reached on average”. To put things bluntly, we do not get enough exercise. And second, we do not attain the right energy mix.

“Too much fat” is the conclusion of nutritional experts. The amount of fat consumed everyday by children is quite close to the upper limit but still acceptable. However, other people consume too much fat, which now accounts for more than 35 per cent of our total energy requirements.

According to DGE and the Austrian Nutrition Society (ÖGE), this figure should not exceed 25 – 30 per cent. Unsaturated fats are preferred. Here there is still a lot of catching up to do.

“The ideal thing would be to reduce the consumption of fat while using more high quality vegetables oils”, Elmada says in commenting on what people should do. “Being overweight is the body’s reaction to a chronically positive energy balance”, Heseker adds.

Dietary fibre hope

Experts recommend that proteins comprise 10-15 per cent of the total nutritional energy consumed by people.

“On average, this figure was achieved if not surpassed by all age groups”, Elmadfa states.

“The high intake of fat and protein is to the detriment of carbohydrates, which do not supply the recommended 55 per cent of total energy of any age group. From today’s perspecrive, people should from foods rich in starch and dietary fiber, such as grains, grain products, if possible wholegrain, as well as vegetables, fruit, legumes and potatoes, according to DGE.

“Although people are eating greater quantities of bread, they are only consuming about 120 grams per day, significantly below the recommended level of 200-300 grams daily”, the researcher says.

“In particularly, the share of wholegrain products in the group of the most important suppliers of nutrients and dietary fibres is still much too low, at only 16 grams per day”.

In Germany, the changed eating habits have also supposedly led to the reduced intake of polysaccharides and dietary fibre. Germans are eating more and more grain products, but fewer foodstuffs made of rye and potatoes. Elmadfa and Heseker agree and dietary fibers are being consumed.

Full-spedd ahead with wholegrain products

Baking products as suitable suppliers of dietary fibre are more in demand than ever before, naturally wholegrain products in particular. Two hundred 300 grams daily are recommended, or the equivalent of four-six slices, ÖGE and DGE agree.

Wholegrain products should be consumed everyday as they are rich in vitamins and minerals, but also on account of their dietary fibre, which is now recognized today as an important part of healthy nutrition. Dietary fibres ensure orderly digestion and a “good feeling in one’s stomach”.

“The Kornspitz, Europe’s top brand name roll, is an especially valuable food, boasting 7 per cent dietary fibre. The Kornspitz and its richness in B vitamins, minerals and trace elements, enjoyed 4.5 million times a day, ranks among Austria’s most successful brand-name organic products”, says backaldrin, Austria’s leading producer of baking products.

Moreover, increasing the consumption of dietary fibres, i.e. the recommended amount of 30 grams/day, “probably” reduces the risk of tumours of the large intestine and rectal tumours, as DGE´s German Nutrition Report concludes.

“The word “probably” refers to the close connection between nutritional factors and the risk of cancer, and should be used as a reference point for people to reorient their own eating habits”.

A simple recipe for health could be to “eat more bread”.

Exploit consumer goodwill

A recent study on the topic of “bread and health” has shown that there is a broad-based consensus among consumers that bread in general and wholegrain bread in particular are good suppliers of dietary fiber.

In the aforementioned Dialego survey, 80 per cent of those interviewed say wholegrain products help to ensure a healthy and balanced diet.

CMA Market Research concluded that wholegrain bread now comprises 28 per cent of the bread named by consumers, which puts this group at the top of the “bread hit list”.

Close to half the respondents say that health reasons are relevant for their choice of bread.

A whole range of measures is required to sustainably change eating habits and get the problems of excess weight and adiposity under control.

“Nutritional experts around the world agree that becoming overweight can only be prevented by a balanced, volume-rich and low calorie diet, as well as sufficient physical exercise,” the DGE Nutrition Report adds, pointing out the direction we have to go in.

Health bread, eating habits, obesity

Concerns have been raised that a new European regulation forcing cosmetic manufacturers to list nanoparticles Hill be applied to food product labelling.

The decision made by the EU´s ingredients present in cosmetic products clearly indicated in the list of ingredients, by inserting the word “nano” in brackets after the ingredient listed.

Nanomaterial is defined as “an insoluble or bio-persistent and intentionally manufactured material with one or more external dimensions, or an internal structure, on the scale from 1 to 100 nanometres”.

Nanomaterials may have different properties compared to the same substances at normal scale, so could have a substantial impact on foods in the future, in that they can enable better management of the functionalities of food ingredients, provided there is no safety risk attached to these changed properties. For example, engineered nanomaterials (ENMs) could have applications as food additives, enzymes, flavourings, and novel foods, as well as food contact materials and supplements.

The European Food Safety Authority’s (EFSA) scientific opinion published last year recommends that risk assessments should be undertaken case-by-case, but also that at present “a lack of validated test methodologies could make risk assessment of specific nano products very difficult and subject to a high degree of uncertainty.” The European Commission asked EFSE to prepare a “guidance document” on how to assess potential risks related to food-related uses of nanotechnology; the first draft of this document is due to be completed by July 2010, for consultation.

Nanomaterial research and development has not yet reached the mainstream food market inn the EU, but bread containing nanoparticles of fish oils is reported to be on sale in Australia.

Meanwhile in the UK, a House of Lords committee on nanotechnologies has called on the UK´s Food Standards Agency (FSA) to draw up a list of nanoderived foods.

“We believe there are many potential benefits to consumers and industries from nanotechnology in food and food packaging”, says Andrew Wadge, FSA´s chief scientist.

“However, we share the view that there is a lack of knowledge about the potential effects and impacts of nanomaterials on human health and the environment.

Openness and cooperation from the food industry and support from consumer groups will he needed, Wadge asserts, to ensure that any register provides information that consumers need.

Health, Ingredients list of ingredients, Nanomaterial, nanoparticles

In the US, nine out of every ten adults consume too much salt, a new report has found.

The Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report revealed that only 9.6 per cent of adults kept their daily sodium intake below the recommended government guidelines.

They were found to consume too much salt by eating pizza, crisps and other foods with high sodium levels, all of which contribute to a raised heart attack and stroke risk.

If adults were to reduce their salt intake by around half a teaspoon every day, new cases of heart disease could be cut by as many as 120,000 and there could be 66,000 fewer strokes, the report found.

“Sodium has become so pervasive in our food supply that it’s difficult for the vast majority of Americans to stay within recommended limits,” said Janelle Peralez Gunn, leader of the study and a public health analyst with the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

A UK report from the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence released this week claims that up to 40,000 people in the country could be saved each year if food manufacturers reduced the levels of salt and saturated fat in their products.

Health Morbidity, Mortality Weekly Report, salt consumption

The food industry needs to communicate effectively with consumers in order to lower people’s salt intake, it has been claimed.

According to the European Salt Producers’ Association (ESA), responsible salt consumption is part of a healthy diet, meaning that companies promising to reduce salt use by set amounts is not helpful.

“We are opposing the focus on nutrient reductions as these are misleading the consumers and will be providing a much bigger health problem,” the body’s managing director Wouter Lox told Food Navigator.

“Consuming nutrient reduced foods does not equal installing a well-balanced diet and a healthy lifestyle.”

He added that the food industry should be promoting eating salt in moderation alongside a balanced diet and active lifestyle.

Earlier this year, research undertaken at Stanford University in the US highlighted that lowering people’s salt intake by just ten per cent could prevent thousands of heart attacks from occurring annually.

Health healthy diet, salt consumption

Diabetic women who enjoy a diet rich in bran may live longer and be less likely to die of heart disease than those who do not, according to the results of a new study published in the journal Circulation.

Although previous studies have linked high consumption of whole grains to a lower risk of developing type-2 diabetes and heart disease, the new study indicates whole grains may help protect the heart even for those who already exhibit type-2 diabetes, which raises the risk of heart disease.

Dr Lu Qi, one of the study’s researchers, told : “Increased intake of whole grain products, especially bran, may lower the risk of mortality especially cardiovascular mortality in diabetic patients.”

Explaining the significance of the research Qi added: “This is the first study investigating the effects of whole grain intake on mortality in patients of type 2 diabetes.”

Less likely to die

The researchers at Harvard Medical School, Boston found that among 7,800 US women followed for 26 years, those with the highest bran intake were 28 percent less likely to die during the review period than those who consumed the least bran.

Also, they were 35 percent less likely to die of cardiovascular disease.

Although there was no conclusive proof that a bran-rich diet reduced risks, the link between higher bran intake and lower death rates remained even after accounting for other diet factors, such as fat intake and calories and lifestyle factors. Those included weight, exercise levels, smoking history and drinking habits.

Qi and the research team concluded that bran intake itself may help reduce diabetics’ risk of premature death.

“We would recommend diabetic patients to consume more whole grains, less refined carbohydrates (such as white rice and pasta made with white flour),” Qi said.

The United States Department of Agriculture’s (USDA’s) nutrition website MyPyramid.gov identifies whole grains as containing the entire grain kernel including the bran, germ, and endosperm. Examples include: Whole-wheat flour, bulgur (cracked wheat), oatmeal, whole cornmeal and brown rice.

Dietary fiber

In contrast, refined grains have been milled; a process that removes the bran and germ. “This is done to give grains a finer texture and improve their shelf life, but it also removes dietary fiber, iron, and many B vitamins,” according to the website. Examples of refined grain products include: White flour, degermed cornmeal, white bread and white rice.

Meanwhile, the research was based on a Nurses’ Health Study which every two years surveyed the health of women with type 2 diabetes. Nurses also provided information about their general health, medical history and lifestyle.

Nurses with the highest bran intake consumed on average 9g of bran per day, 10 times more than the lowest-intake group.

Source: Circulation

Health carbohydrates, diabetes, fibers, research

The next generation of gluten-free products may be achieved with sourdough technology and better processing of oats, according to the EU’s HealthGrain project.

While oats do not contain gluten, the proteins they do contain do not possess the unique visco-elastic properties characteristic of wheat gluten, thus oat doughs resemble cake batters rather than bread doughs.

In an attempt to overcome these challenges researchers participating in the European Union project HealthGrain project examined the effects of processing on the final bread structure and its nutritional content.

Care with oats

It should be noted that, although oats do not actually contain gluten there is some concern over their presence in foods since they are commonly contaminated during processing with gluten from wheat, rye or barley, according to Coeliac UK.

According to the HealthGrain researchers, sourdough fermentation and hydrostatic pressure (HP) processing show potential to improve oat bread quality. The data showed that high quality oat bread could be achieved using wholegrain oat flours with low batter viscosity, low flour water hydration capacity, starch content of above 65 per cent, protein content of about 12 per cent, low starch damage and coarse particle size.

The researchers also noted that different oat varieties yielded better quality bread than others, dependent on the protein and fat content, starch properties as well as alpha-amylase activity.

The researchers, led by Professor Elke Arendt from University College Cork, also examined the effect of sourdough on oat bread quality and indentified superior performance of lactic acid bacterial strains which are not commonly found in wheat or rye sourdoughs.

Pressure

Improved protein networks were achieved using HP, said the researchers, when pressures of 350 MPa were used or more were used. At lower pressure, the researchers noted a weakening of protein structures. Addition of HP-treated oat batters to oat bread resulted in improved volume and decreased staling at 200 MPa, while higher pressures did not improve oat bread quality, they said.

Blooming market

Gluten-free foods have rapidly increased in popularity over the past few years – partly as a result of better diagnosis of celiac disease, an autoimmune disorder triggered by exposure to gluten, the protein in wheat, barley, rye and spelt. However, there has also been a mass movement toward gluten-free products by those who have self-diagnosed wheat or gluten intolerance or who believe gluten-free to be a healthier way of eating.

Since it was valued at a modest $580m in 2004, the global market has grown at an average annual rate of 29 per cent and last year was worth $1.56bn, according to Packaged Facts. It could be worth as much as $2.6bn by 2012.

The nutritional content of gluten-free foods is an increasing area of concern. Many of these products are characterised by reduced nutrient contents. In most cases, such products are not fortified and are poorer in B vitamins, iron, folate, and dietary fibre than gluten-containing formulations. Gluten-free foods also fall beyond the realm of fortification programmes.

One area showing promise is the use of alternative or ‘ancient’ grains, such as amaranth, buckwheat, quinoa, brown rice, sorghum, and teff. Only recently, scientists from the Celiac Disease Center at Columbia University in New York reported that the use of such alternative flour sources could improve intakes of protein, iron, calcium and fibre (Journal of Human Nutrition and Dietetics).

Oats have been receiving increased attention based on their nutritional quality, linked to the total dietary fibre and beta-glucan content. Beyond beta-glucan, oats also contain high amounts of other valuable nutrients such as proteins, unsaturated fatty acids, vitamins, minerals and antioxidants.

The HealthGrain project included researchers from University College Cork in Ireland and VTT Technical Research Centre of Finland.

Health, Ingredients gluten-free products, oats, sourdough technology

What are the latest strategies being used to reduce and replace salt and fats in the bakery sector?

Bakery products have been impacted by the drive to reduce salt and saturated fat content in food. It is not as simple as finding an alternative to replace the taste of salt or the flavour of the fat – these ingredients have functional properties that are fundamental to the structure and texture of the products.

Salt reduction is largely being led by the UK’s Food Standards Agency (FSA), which in 2003 advised adults to consume no more than 6g a day. Food manufacturers have risen to the challenge, and average salt levels in bread have already been reduced by a third. However, a new target has now been set for 2012 – down to 1.0g per 100g of bread from the current 1.1g, which poses a further challenge.

In most products, the main function of salt is in taste. In bread, it is a little more complicated, as salt is crucial to yeast activity. If salt levels are reduced, the product’s properties are affected, says Maurits Burgering, business development manager at TNO Quality of Life. “The stickiness of the dough is influenced by salt content,” he says. “This affects processability. It also has an impact on microbiology. It is possible to make bread without any salt, but the question is whether this is a product you would want to put on the market! We are looking at the extent to which salt can be reduced without compromising these issues, and if it goes down too far, what are the first problems you encounter in processability?”

Limited alternatives

TNO has also worked on bread with layers containing more and less salt, where the sensory contrast helps tackle taste issues As bread differs from one country to another, the best solution to reducing salt will vary, and they are developing a toolbox of solutions, Burgering says. “The flour is also different, and a toolbox would help meet the needs of every regional specialty,” he says.

However, as far as bread is concerned, alternatives to salt are limited, according to Stan Cauvain, director and vice-president of R&D activities at the BakeTran consultancy. “Potassium chloride is the obvious choice, but the problem is its bitterness,” he says. “In the past, when sodium chloride levels were high, you could tolerate higher KCl levels, but when you have less NaCl, you are more likely to pick up the bitter overtones.”

Several companies now offer new crystalline forms of salt containing KCl designed to have less impact on flavour perception, he says, but uptake remains limited in the bakery sector. “It’s certainly more expensive, and of course there’s always the interesting question about the legality of using it in bread in the UK, as there is a debate over whether it is on the prescribed list of ingredients.”

Functionality and processing

Other substitutes focus on addressing flavour issues. “Some companies claim the answer to low-salt bread is

introducing flavours from ferments, brews, and nature identical flavours, but it’s important to separate the impact salt has on flavour, from its the impact on functionality,” Cauvain explains. “Salt cannot be removed without introducing other changes to processing or

even, perhaps, the quality of the bread that is produced. A lot has been learnt, but there remains no 1:1 replacement for salt. And if we are to continue to produce bread as we currently know and understand it, there is no real alternative.”

In cakes, biscuits and pastry, fat replacement is more of an issue than salt, as fat – particularly saturated fat – makes a huge contribution to the eating quality of a cake.

There has been a real drive in recent years to reduce the ‘bad’ fats in the diet, although there is now some doubt about whether saturated fat is really that bad for the heart. A recent meta-analysis of 21 studies in nearly 350,000 patients showed no significant evidence that dietary saturated fat is associated in an increased risk of either heart disease or stroke. Burgering believes, however, that fat reduction will remain an issue in bakery products. “It is possible to replace saturated fat with unsaturated, but this has to be done very carefully,” he says.

The problem is that, all too often, fat reduced cake or pastry is about as pleasant to eat as cardboard. “Fat has an impact on the lubrication effect in the mouth, and hence the eating quality,” says Cauvain.

“But the huge contribution that fat makes to the formation of the structure is often overlooked. This is also a tremendous contributor to the eating quality.”

Thus the structure of the ‘cardboard’ cake is less fragile, and less likely to break down in the mouth, an attribute that Cauvain says is as much down to the type of fat used as the level of it. “There has been a move to remove trans fats and reduce saturated fats, but the big problem is that these are the fats that contribute most to the structure-forming properties.

Health, Ingredients bakery sector, reduce fats, reduce salt

Pleasure and good health are both part of well-being, but when it comes to food we often have to choose between the two. But what if well-being meant having the best of both worlds? Well now we can, thanks to SweetPearl™: a gourmet product can finally boast its own nutritional qualities, on top of that of SweetPearl™.

Pleasure is part of well-being too! Nutritionists are clear that depriving yourself – especially of sweet foods – can lead to compulsive snacking behaviour.

That means that sweet snacks can play a key role in an everyday balanced diet. Products containing SweetPearl™  make it even easier – they let us indulge in rich and sweet gourmet moments while enjoying all the nutritional benefits not only of the product, but of maltitol as well.

Rediscover food’s natural benefits

By replacing the sugar in food, SweetPearl™ invites us to enjoy their natural benefits by creating a more balanced nutritional profile – with no need for fat or intense sweeteners. The resulting chocolate is naturally rich in magnesium, fiber, polyphenols, etc. Even better, foods contain less sugar and fewer calories – imagine cookies that are a natural source of energy and fiber, but without the sugar!

Some people even whisper that SweetPearl™ also enhances the intense nature of chocolate and reveals the flavors of the grains in our cookies! Why hold back?

Enjoy the health benefits of SweetPearlTM

SweetPearl™ is 100% sugar-free, adding around only half the calories of sugar.

Unlike sugar, it actively promotes oral health by not causing cavities, a benefit often illustrated by the Toothfriendly Tested logo seen stamped on products, including some varieties of sugar-free gum.

SweetPearl™ also contributes to the development of foods that are low on the glycemic index. And because SweetPearl™  is a flavour enhancer, the final recipe or product is not only healthier and better for us, but it tastes even more delicious too!

Health, Ingredients nutritional benefits, sugar-free, SweetPearl

Several major food companies in Australia, including George Weston Foods, Goodman Fielder Baking and Cereal Partners Worldwide, have agreed to reduce the amount of salt in their bread and breakfast cereals as part of a collaborative effort with the government called the Food and Health Dialogue.

Mark Butler, the parliamentary secretary for health in Australia, said George Weston Foods, Goodman Fielder Baking, Allied Mills, Cripps Nubake, Woolworths, Coles and ALDI were among the manufacturers and retailers who have agreed to reduce sodium across bread products to 400 mg per 100 g by the end of 2013. Meanwhile, Kellogg Co., Sanitarium, Cereal Partners Worldwide, Woolworths, Coles and ALDI were among those who agreed to reduce the sodium content of ready-to-eat breakfast cereals by 15% over four years.

In total, the manufacturers and retailers who have agreed to take part in the initiative represent more than 80% of the market share for bread products and approximately 60% of the market share for R-T-E cereal in Australia.

“Agreed targets give industry a level playing field and certainty on expectations,” Mr. Butler said. “Bread and breakfast cereals are the first of several food categories being prioritized by the Food and Health Dialogue to improve Australian diets.”

Bakery, Health australia, bread, reduce, salt

The European Food Safety Authority published new dietary reference values (DRVs) for carbohydrates, sugar, fibre, fats and water confirming proposals made last year. The final levels have drawn criticism from some scientists.

The EU risk assessor was asked by the European Commission to update DRVs for a slate of nutrients on the basis of the most recent scientific evidence, as the last time these were set was in 1993. The values released today are the first of three batches: advice on protein and energy is in the works, and EFSA will start working on vitamins and minerals later this year.

EFSA held public consultations on the new DRVs prior to confirming them. The values will now be used as an evidence base underpinning nutritional policies, public health targets, and consumer info and education programmes.

Carbs, sugar and fibre

EFSA’s advice on total carbohydrates is that intake should comprise between 45 and 60 per cent of total energy intake for both adults and children. A daily intake of 25g of fibre is recommended for normal bowel function in adults; EFSA has also recognised evidence linking fibre to reduced risk of cardiovascular disease and type 2 diabetes, and its role in weight management.

However it could not find sufficient evidence to support the role of the glycaemic index and glycaemic load in maintaining weight and preventing diet-related diseases.

No upper limit for sugars has been set, either, because of insufficient evidence and health effects are a matter of what foods are consumed and how often, rather than the amount of sugar per se. The panel does recognise that there is “good evidence that frequent consumption of foods high in sugars increases the risk of tooth decay”. But says policy makers should consider evidence for consumption patterns of sugar-containing foods when making national nutrition recommendations.

Balancing fats

Overall, EFSA says fat intakes should range between 20 and 35 per cent of total energy for adults (the values for children are adjusted to take account of their developmental needs).

But evidence for impact of different kinds of fat is recognised, such as the link between saturated and trans fats and blood cholesterol levels. Here too, though, EFSA leaves it to national policy makers to decide how to couch the message that mono- and poly-unsaturated fatty acids are better than trans and saturated.

In the case of long-chain omega-3 fatty acids, however, it is more prescriptive. It says a daily intake of 250mg for adults “may reduce the risk of heart disease”. However academics and industry have been lobbying for far higher values than this – ideally over 500mg a day.

Following the publication of the proposed values, a 22-strong of scientists wrote to EFSA to ask it to “reconsider its conclusions and advice on omega-3 fatty acids afresh, right from the beginning.”

The scientists also objected to the proposal that ALA (alpha-linolenic) acid is a “viable precursor” to longer-chain DHA and EPA fatty acids. EFSA’s final opinion states that “ALA cannot be synthesised by the body, is required to maintain metabolic integrity, and is therefore considered to be an essential fatty acid”.

It proposes an adequate intake level of 0.5 per cent of energy, but says there is not enough evidence to set an average requirement, a lower threshold intake or a population reference intake. It also sees no need for a tolerable upper intake level, as it says there is no convincing evidence of any detrimental health effects.

The final DRV included in the current batch is for water. EFSA says 2 litres a day is considered adequate for women, and 2.5 litres for men.

Food Safety, Health dietary reference values, EFSA, fat intakes, sugar intakes