Supply-chain-driven food and drink reformulation to achieve Scotland's dietary and climate targets

Challenges

Initiatives to support consumers in making healthy food choices have failed to help Scotland meet its dietary targets. It is appreciated that this will not be achieved by a single approach. Reformulating food to be healthy, sustainable, and most importantly acceptable and affordable, has genuine potential in supporting these initiatives, but only if the supply chain is robust and economically viable. 

Our previous research has identified several crops that could be sustainably grown in Scotland (hemp, buckwheat, pea, and fava bean), with the main objective to address protein intake and reducing emission targets associated with livestock production. From a food formulation perspective, these crops are extremely versatile. For example, hemp grain can be milled to produce flour, and pressed to produce oil and dairy alternatives, with the co-products also having economic value contributing to an effective circular economy. 

The formulation of these crops can also contribute fibre, micronutrient minerals and vitamins and valuable bioactives to the diet. We have demonstrated that bread reformulated with hemp flour reduced hunger and modulated hormones associated with satiation. Buckwheat is a prime example of how we have developed a formulation to target the rise in postprandial glucose, which has been strongly linked to the development of type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). This formulation was shown to reduce blood glucose in people living with T2DM (controlled by metformin or diet). Furthermore, the formulation is also versatile and could be included in a range of products providing a much-needed and familiar range of foods and drinks to support those looking to have a healthy lifestyle but finding it difficult to make the correct dietary choices. Successful implementation of these strategies requires supply chains to be in place and this includes primary production. Increasing demand necessitates bringing all actors within the supply chain together.

Questions

Solutions

This project is supporting Scotland’s dietary and climate targets through supply-chain-driven food and drink reformulation. 

Multi-sector healthy and sustainable food and drink prototypes

Several food prototypes are being designed to meet a multi-market need, specifically: dairy alternatives, meat-based foods, bakery products and bread. These are intended to replace unsustainable and unhealthy food products high in calories and to reduce the harm from excess salt, sugar and fat consumption. 

• A ‘buckfood’ (buckwheat-rich) ingredient is being used to formulate and evaluate a high-protein plant-based drink (dairy alternative), high-protein shakes and plant-based yoghurt.
• Hemp-co-product ingredients are being used to develop meat-based foods such as patties. 
• Vegetable co-product ingredients are being used to develop bakery and bread. We are showcasing the use of micro-encapsulation to mask the taste. 

We are specifically identifying food formulation options which can be used as a basis for food product development:

• Meets the needs of the dairy, butchery and bakery sectors
• Encourages consumption of healthy alternatives to high-calorie foods
• Grown or produced sustainably in Scotland
• Considers Scotland’s regional and land use requirements
• Adopts circular economy principles
• Contributes to Scotland’s climate targets
• Acceptable to consumers
• Economically viable to produce and affordable

Crop and process waste to product supply chain 

We are supporting product innovation within selected supply chain networks, informing on best practices regarding formulation from "field to the fork". We are characterising (nutritional quality) and assessing (stability and acceptance) of products developed. These include a case study on reformulating Scottish staple foods driven by the dairy, meat and baked goods sectors. The case study is demonstrating the ability to deliver on reformulation that tackles potential food waste and food industry co-products as well as producing affordable staple products that meet Scotland’s dietary targets.

Regional perceptions of healthy sustainable food formulation 

We are working with the food and drink industry to explore the regional importance of food and drink innovation and food production that meets Scotland’s climate, dietary and biodiversity targets. This informs on the potential of regional procurement, which has relevance for a greener recovery and post-Brexit supply chains.  

RoadMap for supply-chain-driven food and drink reformulation success 

Working with our partners we are developing further impact through public-private partnerships by considering the success of food formulation, as well as interventions to deliver maximum impact. 

Overall Deliverable

This project seeks transformative success in bringing together food supply networks to deliver acceptable (taste, affordability) food products that will contribute towards meeting climate and dietary targets. We are producing clear guidance in the form of a RoadMap on how this can be achieved, including major barriers and suggestions for future initiatives and interventions.

Progress