By entering information about the products into the calculator, producers can label their products with the Keyhole mark, a recognised indicator of healthy food.
The calculator is also designed to assess how well the products meet health claims from the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA).
The calculator simplifies the process
The current process of Keyhole labelling is time-consuming and resource-intensive, especially for small producers lacking nutritional expertise.
"A nutrition calculator that can simplify this could be revolutionary," says Way Kiat Bong, Associate Professor at OsloMet, who collaborated with the food cluster "Fremtidsmat” (Future Food) to develop the calculator, with active contributions from students.
To be user-tested and further developed
The nutrition calculator is currently in a testing phase.
"Feedback so far is positive. Most find it easy to use," says Bong.
The next step in the development is to verify the accuracy of the EFSA claims implemented in the calculator.
Bong expresses a vision that the calculator will not only contribute to producing healthier food but also promote more sustainable food production.
Could become an important tool
The nutrition calculator is part of "Fremtidsmat’s”' digital innovation platform, NORtritious, and is designed to simplify and enhance the development of healthier and more sustainable products.
The project is funded by members of "Future Food" and Viken County Council in collaboration with OsloMet. The food research institute Nofima and OsloMet initiated the project. Nofima has also contributed to financing the project and has provided nutritional expertise.
Anne Marit Rødland, the CEO of "Fremtidsmat," is optimistic about the new nutrition calculator. She explains that the calculator could become an important tool for food producers and contribute to the development of healthier food and drink solutions.
"The purpose of the calculator is to help develop more healthy products that earn the Keyhole label, providing more healthy options to choose from. It can also make it resource-saving to develop healthier products," says Rødland.
The keyhole makes it easier to choose healthy
The Keyhole is the Norwegian government's labelling scheme designed to make healthier choices easier.
In addition to the Keyhole, EFSA, the European Food Safety Authority, contributes to improving food safety, protecting consumers, and maintaining trust in food production within EU countries.
EFSA itself has formulated the scientifically proven health claims that also form the basis for the calculator. These claims suggest connections between food and drink products and health, such as low-fat content, low-sugar content, and heart-friendly diets.
Could strengthen public health
Rødland points out that the nutrition calculator could play an important role in strengthening public health by making healthy food choices more accessible. She also highlights the calculator's potential to contribute to sustainable food production practices.
"We want to develop food and drink solutions that are not only healthy for consumers but also sustainable for the environment," says Rødland.
Designed to be user-friendly
The calculator is specifically designed to be user-friendly, which has been a priority throughout the development process.
"We have had a resource group of companies, including Nortura, Bama, Gluten-Free Workshop, Alna, and Milk, who have contributed with input to ensure the calculator is easy to use," emphasizes Rødland.
To use the calculator, producers can easily enter a nutrition declaration to see what adjustments are needed to meet EFSA health claims and the Keyhole label requirements. This simplifies the process of developing healthier food and drink solutions and makes it more resource-saving for producers.
Rødland hopes that the user-friendly calculator will encourage more producers to develop products with health labels, thereby contributing to strengthening public health and achieving sustainability goals.
The illustration at the top of the article shows salad with barley, and is not linked to any brand or commercial product.
Photo: The Norwegian Dairy Council.
Read more about
- the Norwegian Keyhole mark (helsenorge.no)
- the research project NORtritious
- OsloMet as a partner for collaboration
