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https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/article/2024/jul/25/australias-health-star-rating-system-exploited-by-companies-making-ultra-processed-foods-experts-say>
"The food industry in Australia is allowed to use labelling and marketing
tactics to distract from the harmful ingredients in ultra-processed foods due
to its outsize political power, health experts say.
As state, territory and federal health and food ministers meet on Thursday,
experts are concerned the current voluntary food labelling regimes are failing
to meet international standards for warning consumers against industrial
techniques used in food processing.
Dr Phillip Baker, a research fellow from the University of Sydney’s school of
public health, said the current health star rating system still gave stars to
unhealthy ultra-processed food products because it was based on whether the
product contained good or bad nutrients.
He said food manufacturers, who were “very much in the policymaking room”
designing the health star rating, could easily game the nutrients, offering the
example of companies replacing sugar with an artificial sweetener.
“What we’re calling for is a much more comprehensive set of regulations, a
broader policy framework, that actually economically disincentivises the
production of ultra-processed foods in the first place,” Baker said.
Gyorgy Scrinis, an associate professor and food politics and policy expert at
the University of Melbourne, said Australia needed “to start regulating these
corporations directly”.
“This means directly regulating their entire portfolios of products and their
marketing practices as a whole, as well as limiting the political power they
exercise over governments and policymakers.”
Ultra-processed foods are those that contain no or few whole food ingredients
and have undergone multiple processing steps where sweeteners, colourings,
flavourings and emulsifiers are added. These substances are often extracted
from oils, fats, sugars, starches, and proteins, and they extend shelf life and
make food more palatable.
Scrinis said: “Food companies have exploited the current focus on nutrients as
a way of marketing their poor quality, ultra-processed products. For example,
they market their products as high in protein or low in fat, or even ‘contains
whole grains’, yet these products are manufactured from ingredients that have
been completely broken down or chemically transformed.”"
Cheers,
*** Xanni ***
--
mailto:xanni@xanadu.net Andrew Pam
http://xanadu.com.au/ Chief Scientist, Xanadu
https://glasswings.com.au/ Partner, Glass Wings
https://sericyb.com.au/ Manager, Serious Cybernetics
