Impact of Food Processing on the Implementation of Dietary Guidelines

Community nutrition offers a wide range of possibilities to increase the health-promoting potential of meals. Yet, the potential for increasing the nutritional quality and the health-promoting value of food is not fully utilized, particularly in the setting of canteen kitchens. There are more than 3,000 canteen kitchens in Austria, and their meal service may have a considerable impact on the well-being of approximately 1.5 million consumers. Nutrient-based dietary guidelines act as an interface between theory and practice and form the basis for the development of recipes and for professional menu planning. In this regard, food processing plays a central role for the implementation of dietary guidelines. It is a common challenge for nutritionists and cooks to provide meals that are both tasty and healthy. Optimization with regard to the health value of community nutrition means reorientation and is composed of two steps: (1) optimization of nutrient and energy contents of menus through a well-balanced diet composition and (2) best-possible preservation of nutrients through professional food processing. Nutrient content optimization in food needs to consider all areas of community nutrition, including a target group oriented nutrient calculation, as well as planning and development of tasty and healthy meals and the highest possible nutrient retention during the entire food preparation process.