Healthy Eating, Food Safety and Food Legislation: A Guide Supporting the Healthy Ireland Food Pyramid

Abstract

This guide provides extended information to support the Healthy Ireland Food Pyramid 2016, which is based on international best practice and tailored to meet the specific needs of Ireland’s population. These healthy eating guidelines are designed to protect people at every age and stage (from five years old) against heart disease and cancer, which are the major causes of diet-related ill health in this country. This guide provides the reasons behind recommendations such as why eating different-coloured vegetables is protective and why different fats and oils are best, as well as covering issues such as how to use nutrition labelling to select the best foods, etc. This food guide includes information on food safety and food legislation relating to nutrition in Ireland. For example, it explains in detail how to safely maintain vitamin D status at Ireland’s latitude given the natural food sources, fortified food and food supplements available. Now that nutrition labelling is mandatory, this guide includes advice on how these labels can be used to guide consumers towards healthy choices from the ever-increasing variety of foods on offer (e.g. cereals and yogurts). In addition, this guide describes how exposure to contaminants such as acrylamide can be minimised and how reformulation by the food industry can positively impact Ireland’s food environment. Finally, it highlights the importance of accurate allergen labelling in keeping consumers safe, in addition to the many other nutritional issues that health professionals, catering services and food businesses in Ireland encounter.