– We at Mills have been looking forward to launching Eventyrpostei. It’s a good and mild liver paste that will be perfect for families with children, says product manager Rikke Gran Moen at Mills to their website. The new liver pâté is decorated with colorful pictures of the three goats from the well-known children’s books by Bjørn F. Rørvik. But neither fathers nor mothers allow themselves to be impressed. Kristoffer Husby has shared a post on the Facebook group “Pappaklubben” where he expresses his displeasure. “Garbage and food make-up” “I think it is sad that such new children’s products are to be launched that are full of rubbish/food make-up,” writes Husby. – We see that this product is aimed at children, and that many different substances have been added to it to maintain consistency and taste, he says. Husby and his roommate cook much of their own food. Their 1.5-year-old son gets to taste the same food as his parents from an early age. – Unfortunately, much of the food prepared for children is so processed that much of the nutrition is gone. We want the building blocks our son will build his body with to be good, so I have become extra concerned with this. Maja Skogstad is also concerned about that. She has a master’s degree in community nutrition and almost 65,000 followers on Instagram, where she calls herself Nutrition Mum. Skogstad is a clear critic of ultra-processed food. She, too, has noticed the contents of Eventyrpostei. CHEAPER TO COOK YOURSELF: Kristoffer Husby and his roommate cook a lot of food from scratch and bake their own bread. – It is both cheaper and better. Photo: Kristoffer Husby Unnecessary substances – Many consumers have a high level of trust in the food industry, especially when the products are aimed at children. Such products may appear to be extra healthy and extra safe, but then you see on the ingredient list that it is not a good product, says Skogstad. Mills’ fairytale pate contains 33 per cent pig liver. Furthermore, the list is filled with various additives. ONE-THIRD LIVER: Mills’ fairytale pâté contains 33 per cent pig liver and two different sugars, in addition to many other ingredients. Photo: Petter Strøm / news Maja Skogstad believes, among other things, that the consistency agents listed in brackets are unnecessary and so-called “food make-up”. – Such agents are often used to give a better “mouth feel” and can be used to make up for missing raw materials, she says. – Dextrose and aroma are other types of food make-up that are often used to make the product more palatable. At the same time, she emphasizes that some additives contribute to increased durability and food safety. – The challenge is that products such as Eventyr pâtéi contain several unnecessary substances in order for the food to taste better, and cover the lack of good raw materials, she says, referring to, among other things, the liver pate from Grøstad. It contains 77 percent meat, and no unnecessary additives, according to their website. Four degrees of food processing Photo: Oddgeir Øystese / news 1. Unprocessed and minimally processed food Raw materials and unprocessed food where the nutrients are intact. Minimal processing may have been done, such as crushing, cooking or drying the food. Inedible parts may have been removed. The food may also have been pasteurized. Examples of foodstuffs: Fresh meat, eggs, milk, cheese, fruit and vegetables, unsalted nuts, whole cards and legumes. 2. Processed culinary ingredients Foods that have undergone a greater degree of processing, but are still categorized as relatively unprocessed. The processing methods are pressing, grinding, drying and refining. Examples of foodstuffs: Cooking oil, salt, sugar, honey and butter. 3. Processed food Food that is produced by mixing food from categories 1 and 2. The processing in this category increases the durability of the product. The processing methods are canning, salting, pickling, curing and smoking. Examples of foods: Salted nuts, smoked or salted meat and fish, tinned fruit and vegetables, bread products and some cheeses. 4. Ultra-processed food Food that is produced through several industrial techniques and processes. These foods rarely consist of whole other foods, but of parts of them. For example protein, sugar, oil or fibre. Techniques such as extraction, casting and pre-roasting. Preferably with added colour, aroma and other additives to make the food tastier. Examples of food products: Sweets, crisps, soft drinks, biscuits, pre-baked cakes and cake mixes. Margarine, soups, pasta, noodles, cheese and fast food such as pizza, sausages and chicken nuggets. Source: Matprat.no Concerned about children’s eating habits Both Maja Skogstad and Kristoffer Husby stress that their criticism of Eventyrpastei is actually a criticism of the food industry itself. Around half of the food we buy is already ultra-processed. Skogstad and Husby find that much of the food aimed at children is ultra-processed. Preferably by adding aroma for a better taste, color for a more appetizing appearance, or other substances for a more appealing consistency. Even though Eventyr pastei has a meat content in line with a number of other pasties on the market, the two believe that products that are clearly made for children should be of better quality. – Ultra-processed food causes us to fill up more and more of our stomach with fillers from which we do not get nutrition, says Skogstad. – The children get used to eating very finely ground food with a perfect balance of salt, sugar and fat. If children are only going to eat that kind of food, you set a preference that it is what they will like in the future, she says. Mills acknowledges that the design of Eventyrpostei is designed to make it clear that the spread is aimed at children. But they do not recognize themselves in the criticism they receive. CALL: Nutrition expert Maja Skogstad has a call for the food industry: – I don’t think they should underestimate consumers and what we want in our food. It is possible to make a liver paste that has a high content of raw materials without unnecessary additives. Photo: Privat Not buying the arguments – We have to admit that we are a little surprised by the attention this launch has received. Liver paste is considered a healthy and recommended spread in Norway, also for children, especially as a source of iron, writes Marte G. Byfuglien, health and nutrition manager at Mills in an e-mail to news. She argues that Eventyrpastei is rich in iron, has a high content of unsaturated fat and meets the health authorities’ targets for salt. – Mills has not cut down on the total amount of raw materials in the paste, but we use refined rapeseed oil where other manufacturers use saturated fat in the form of lard. It is a fact that Norwegian children eat too much saturated fat. It is therefore pleasing to be able to offer a product with the lowest proportion of saturated fat on the market. This is in line with the health authorities’ dietary recommendations, she writes further. – It must not be the case that people are afraid to eat healthy food that has been made in a factory. Maja Skogstad believes that argument is a bit too simple. – It is a bit unfortunate that they can lean on the health authorities. When you measure health based on salt and saturated fat, it can come out skewed. You take out raw materials to trick and mix to satisfy the parameters of the authorities, but are left with an ultra-processed product. Furthermore, Mills is clear that Eventyrpastei is a product made for children. – Growing children have a relatively high need for iron, but at the same time we know that many may have challenges meeting the need. Liver paste is recommended as a healthy and good everyday topping that helps ensure iron intake, writes Marte G. Byfuglien. – In the discussion about ultra-processed food, shouldn’t a large producer like Mills be able to provide consumers with cleaner products? – In order for food to actually be eaten, and to provide us with the necessary nutrients, we know that it must satisfy requirements for both taste and consistency. This means that in some cases we in the food industry have to use different types of additives. We only use additives where necessary. If you are interested in avoiding too much ultra-processed food for you and your children, Kristoffer Husby and Maja Skogstad have some simple advice. AS HEALTHY AS POSSIBLE: Marte G. Byfuglien, health and nutrition manager at Mills says that they are concerned that the products should have as good and healthy a profile as possible. Photo: Mills This is how you make smart choices – In the beginning, it can be difficult to make the right choice. But when you see the overall lines for what characterizes the ultra-processed food, you understand which products apply, says Skogstad. She refers to intensive marketing, for example with large posters and balloons, extra colorful and appealing packaging, and a long content list with a low content of good ingredients. Kristoffer Husby encourages you to look at slightly different products than those aimed at children. – Many manufacturers have several cleaner products which may not be as suitable for children when it comes to the design of the packaging. If you are conscious and spend more time in the shop, you will find lots of good food.
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Nutræningsmamma and Pappaklubben criticize Mills Eventyrpostei – news Nordland
