Fruit and vegetables should be at the centre of future education and policy about public health, key figures in the food industry have said.
Delegates at this week’s City Food Lecture heard how more awareness of the benefits of eating raw, or simply prepared, fresh produce should take precedence over “ultra-processed” food products.
“We’ve got a bit techy about food. There is an element about needing to get back to basics,” said Susan Jebb, professor of nutrition and advisor to the department of health.
“At the moment there isn’t much money to be made in selling a basic cabbage, because society has lost sight of the value in basic ingredients,” she said.
She added that a better understanding of what basic good food is would help shape consumers’ behaviour into choosing healthy options.
A panel of experts, including Jebb, executive director for food at M&S Steve Rowe, PepsiCo president and keynote speaker Richard Evans and sustainable chef Arthur Potts Dawson, discussed how the food industry has a responsibility to help improve public health.
Professor Tim Lang, of City University, commented from the floor that there is not enough raw food available for people to cook. He told industry panelists: “Your industry is de-skilling people so they only eat food that is ultra-processed, quick and convenient. These people cost the health service a huge amount.”
Chief executive of sustainability certification LEAF, Caroline Drummond, returned the focus to suppliers and asked: “Where do you see the role of farmers in the nutritional content of food?”
Evans said PepsiCo supports its supply base through variety innovations to help improve nutrition in products. “We are working with our potato business to build new varieties to improve the nutritional value of our potatoes,” he said.
Potts Dawson said consumers often ask him how they can get out and meet farmers and growers. “The relationship between the farmer and consumer is essential. The chef is just a conduit in this relationship,” he said. “Quite a lot of the time we lose this connection and we need to get it back.”
The panel was chaired by businesswoman and The Apprentice star Margaret Mountford, with closing remarks from HRH the Princess Royal. It was held last night (Tuesday 10 February) in the City of London's Guildhall.
