Nutritional score of meat products at retail in Serbia

Abstract

Nutri-score is simplified front-of-pack nutrition labelling on packed food products, used in a broad international context to categorize food products into five colour/letter grades (best A to worst E) that reflect the foods’ nutritional quality. The labels serve as potential help for consumers to make healthier food choices and encourage food industries to improve the nutritional quality of the foods they produce. The aim of this study was to determine the nutritional scores and grades of meat products present on the Serbian retail market. Ultimately, this should point out to consumers the importance of proper nutrition and encourage the meat industry to adapt to new labelling requirements. During a two year period, 310 packaged locally-produced meat products were purchased at retail, graded according to the Nutri-score method and categorized into 13 ad hoc product groups. The results obtained showed that 82.5% of all examined meat products had nutritional scores that meant they were classified as unhealthy foods, while only 2.9% of meat products (these were fresh meat or minced meats) were classified as healthy foods. Of the total number of examined meat products, 41.5% were classified as grade E, 41% were classified as grade D, 13% received grade C, 1.6% received grade B, while only 2.9 % were classified as grade A. Sodium chloride was an especially burdensome parameter in 10 groups (77% of all products examined), while the presence of saturated fat was troublesome in 7 groups (54%) and high energy balance in 2 groups (15%). Serbian manufacturers are advised to implement new formulations and/or procedures in an effort to reduce these parameters in the meat products they produce.

Nutritivni skor je pojednostavljeni sistem obeležavanja nutritivnog kvaliteta proizvoda od mesa, koji ih svrstava u pet kategorija sa odgovorajućom bojom i slovnom oznakom. Na ovaj način potrošači dobijaju dodatnu informaciju o nutritivnim svojstvima proizvoda od mesa koje kupuju, dok industrija dobija podsticaj da razvija kvalitetnije proizvode. Tokom dve godine ispitano je 310 uzoraka, od kojih je 82.5% klasifikovano kao ,,nezdravo” dok je samo 2.9% uzoraka koji su se odnosili na sveže i ustinjeno meso klasifikovani kao ,,zdravi”. Nutritivni skor proizvoda od mesa je pokazao da 41.5% proizvoda od mesa imaju ocenu E, 41% ocenu D, 13% ocenu C, 1.6% ocenu B, dok je svega 2.9% dobilo ocenu A. Posebno opterećujući nutritivni parametar za proizvode od mesa je visok procenat soli natrijuma (77%), zatim prisustvo zasićenih masti (54%) i visok energetski bilans (15%). Cilj ovog rada je da utvrđivanjem nutritivnog skora proizvoda od mesa potrošačima na domaćem tržištu ukaže na značaj adekvatnog izbora proizvoda od mesa sa aspekta nutritivnog kvaliteta, dok sa druge strane takve zahteve predoči industriji mesa.