Good food knows the value of Federal food Minister Julia Klöckner. On Christmas eve, on the family vineyard in Rhineland-Palatinate, chicken fricassee in pastry, the CDU-politician provides the dessert. Fear of contact with sugar, salt or fat in food is not the winemaker’s daughter. However, Klöckner wants to achieve, that the Federal citizens eat in the future, and less of it. On Wednesday, the Cabinet adopted its “National reduction and innovation strategy”, which aims to ensure that people in the future eat healthier. “The healthy choice is the easy choice,” the Minister said after the Cabinet meeting in Berlin.
What is the Problem?
While the world’s 820 million people are starving, fighting Germany with Abundance. Almost every second woman over 60 percent of men are overweight, and white, the Robert Koch Institute. Almost a fifth of the adult population is actually obese, so obese. Children and adolescents also have to contend with weight problems. More than 15 percent of 3 – to 17-Year-olds are Overweight, a third of them obese. The incorrect diet can make you sick and lead to cardiovascular problems or Diabetes. “Diet-related diseases not only cause severe individual suffering,” says Rankin, “but also great economic damage”. According to estimates by the health insurance funds, which amounts to 70 billion euros.
What are the government plans?
In the coalition agreement has a commitment to the black-red coalition to a strategy for healthier eating. This should be submitted in the course of the year. With the Cabinet decision on Wednesday Klöckner has complied with the time requirement now, at the last minute. Important agreements in order to implement its strategy, however, will follow only in the next year.
now the government, what we eat?
“The state is not a taste, nanny,” stresses Klöckner, “we will not impose recipes”. Instead, the Minister relies on the consensus with the food manufacturers. These are set by self-commitment, how much sugar, fat or salt you want to save on their products.
all the products Are affected?
The strategy applies, first of all, only finished products. Here, the pressure to act from the point of view of the Minister is greatest. To cook not only because people are increasingly turning to frozen pizza or ready-lasagne instead, many of the products also contain a disproportionate amount of sugar, fat or salt. The want to change Klöckner, the diet industry for the changeover, but a few years time. The recipes are supposed to be converted by the year 2025. However, the Ministry wants to make in the autumn of next year, a first inventory, in the year 2020, there should be an interim report. Additionally, it should be reported to the Internet continuously on the cost-Saving measures and a panel of advisors to support the development.
Why does it take so long?
The people should get time to get used to the new recipes. “We have nothing to guardians of the store,” says Klöckner. In addition, the Minister wants to protect the small craft enterprises. The CDU politician is afraid that the small businesses could be overwhelmed with the transition. Other than the food multinationals, Nestlé and Unilever, which can develop new recipes in large laboratories, the small regional farms with the further development of their products heavier. You Klöckner wants to help with funding. 56 million euros has put you out of your budget available to promote innovation in small businesses. In the case of Berlin pancakes, for instance, can save fat by the Baker to use a different Wheat variety. The great hope of beet from the Minister is a new low-calorie sugar. Solely for research on the Allulose 1.6 million euros will be available.
she wanted to have a positive effect on competition, the Minister said. The is, however, already been going on for years – even before the new national reduction strategy of the government. Nestlé boasts about in order to have the chocolate bar Kitkat with a new recipe 1500 tubs of sugar saved. The supermarket chain Rewe has omitted according to their own figures for 2017 already in several Hundred of its own-brand sugar in the double-digit percentage range.
there Are already agreements in the framework of Klöckners strategy?
First agreements concluded between Klöckner and the food producers. So Breakfast cereals for children up to the year 2025 at least 20 percent less sugar, in soft drinks a minimum of 15, in children’s yoghurts at least ten per cent, of sugar are to be saved. An agreement with the bakers, the salt peaks in the bread, so recipes with lots of salt, and back. In frozen pizzas, the salt content should not be up to the year 2015, more than 1.25 grams per 100 grams of Pizza. So far, he is – depending on the variety – between 0.3 and two grams. Further agreements will follow in the next year. What happens if the manufacturers keep to the specifications, is, however, unclear. You will not be sledding, introduced Klöckner on Wednesday, regulatory interventions are in prospect. The food industry has warned customers to patronize. Ultimately, the buyer would determine the taste.
Why are there specific requirements to date for children’s food?
children foods often contain more sugar than cereal, yogurt or soft drinks of adults. The children are accustomed from Small to super sweet food that’s about to change. By law: For Babytees or milk products for infants Klöckner wants to ban by dietary regulation, the addition of sugar.
Klöckner too lax?
its critics see it that way. One of their predecessor inside, Renate Künast, speaks of a “gift to the food companies”. The strategy is completely non-binding, the implementation of sun in the distance, and also for the children, almost nothing had been achieved. The Green party politician calls for a mandatory reduction of sugar in children’s products by 50 percent. “Julia Klöckner has it to do with a massive health problem and fails to act,” criticizes Martin Rücker, managing Director of Foodwatch. “You leave it to say for the food industry, love ,please, please.” Klaus Müller, head of the Federal Association of consumer centres, warned of possible Tricks of the food industry. Voluntary agreements are only successful if they are not circumvented in other ways – for example, by changing packaging sizes, or the replacement of sugar by sweeteners or fat as a flavor carrier.
other countries Are harder?
In the UK, the government is trying to curb a sugar tax on the consumption of unhealthy sodas. Klöckner opposes such coercive measures. The manufacturer would only remain just below the new maximum levels, she says, a remarkable reduction not to mention there are, in your opinion. Foodwatch sees it differently. Coca-Cola have reduced to the island of the sugar content of Fanta and Sprite under the Five-grams-brand, made in Germany, these Limos would contain twice as much sugar – more than nine grams, says managing Director Rücker.
