The Nutri-Score system has undergone an update, ensuring that only low-sugar cereals are now classified as A or B. A notable change is that breakfast cereals with high sugar content can no longer be classified as A and are instead placed in the C category. Additionally, beverages with non-nutritive sweeteners have been downgraded from B to C in the recalculated algorithm.
Another affected product is milk, with skimmed and partially skimmed milk dropping from A to B ratings. Milk-based beverages, such as flavored or sweetened milk, can no longer be classified as A or B and are more likely to be categorized as D or E. The classification of sweetened and flavored yoghurt drinks has also changed, with varying distributions across the C and E categories based on sugar content.
In terms of vegetable oils, those with low levels of saturated fatty acids, such as rapeseed oil, walnut oil, and oleic sunflower oil, now fall under the B classification, as does olive oil. Sunflower oil has been shifted to the C category, while coconut oil and butter remain in the E category.
Serge Hercberg, a professor of nutrition at the Université of Sorbonne Paris Nord’s Faculty of Medicine, who played a pivotal role in creating the Nutri-Score, believes that these modifications will help counter false information and misunderstandings surrounding the Nutri-Score. However, he acknowledges that it might not be enough to deter lobbyists from spreading misinformation that disregards scientific evidence.
Regular updates to the Nutri-Score have been planned since its implementation, with an aim to revise it every three years. These updates are driven by advancements in scientific knowledge, changes in the food market (including new products and reformulations by manufacturers), and the need to align with public health recommendations, according to Hercberg.
The European Scientific Committee responsible for the Nutri-Score update, comprising independent researchers, proposed modifications to enhance the Nutri-Score’s performance for solid and liquid foods. These changes included increased penalties for sweet and salty products, red meat, and sweetened drinks, as well as improved classification of whole-meal products, olive oil, rapeseed oil, and fatty fish.
The updated version of the Nutri-Score, along with the calculation methods for the new algorithm, can be accessed on the website of the French Public Health Agency (Santé Publique France). This version has already been validated by the seven European countries that have adopted the Nutri-Score system.
In conclusion, these latest updates to the Nutri-Score aim to provide more accurate classifications for various food and beverage products, promoting informed consumer choices. It is an essential step in staying aligned with evolving scientific knowledge and public health recommendations.