The Irish Diet The Irish Food Industry

The Irish Diet. The Irish Food Industry © PDST Home Economics

The Irish Diet l l l National Nutrition Surveillance Centre set up in 1992 (UCD). Function: to study trends in the Irish diet and relate them to socio-economic circumstances eg. poverty, education. Info gathered through national nutrition surveys. Slán (Survey of Lifestyle, Attitudes and Nutrition) was conducted in 1998 and 2002.

Results of Slán Surveys % people eating correct no of portions from each layer of the food pyramid

F o o d P y r a m i d

Irish dietary habits Cereal, Bread, Potatoes Reduction of 6% in number eating 6 portions cereals, bread potato. Pasta and rice replacing potato. Not enough fibre included Fruit, Veg 7% increase in no eating 4 or more portions fruit and veg. 31% still not eating enough. Milk, Cheese, Yoghurt 7% increase in consumption but the trend is for low fat and polyunsaturated spreads. Concerns about obesity and heart disease. Meat, Fish, Poultry, 1% increase in meat consumption (more money). meat subs. Fish still v low compared to Europe but increasing slowly. Others, fats, oils, sugar Majority (83%)consuming more than 3 items from this category per day. Unhealthy trend.

Healthy Eating Guidelines! l l l Enjoy variety of food in portions recommended on food pyramid. Maintain a healthy weight (2002 42% males, 27% females overweight). 4 or more portions of fruit and veg. per day. 6 or more servings of cereals, breads potatoes. Eat 25 -35 g fibre per day, fruit, veg. , whole cereals. Reduce fat particularly saturates.

Healthy Eating Guidelines

Healthy Eating Guidelines! l l l Reduce salt to 5 -6 g per day. Reduce sugar, too many sugary foods eaten by most Irish people. Keep alcohol intake inside healthy limits men 21 units/week, female 14 units/week. 30% men, 22% women drink too much.

Age and gender obesity distribution

Influences on food and eating patterns in Ireland since 1900 l l l Changes in farming methods, food processing and distribution. Class division, urban-rural divide. Rationing due to WWI and WWII Improvements in transport and water an electricity services Growing range of food due to importation New cooking methods & skills

Food Trends 1900 l l l Staples = potato, home made bread, oatmeal, boiling, stewing. Sugar consumption increased. Fat consumption increased due to eating meats and dairy products. WWI lead to shortages & increased food prices. Deficiency common e. g. anaemia, rickets.

1930 – 1950’s l l Irish diet still relatively low in fat high in carb. , but lacked variety, food was plain and unprocessed. Shop food becoming more common and considered better than home-made. WWII rationing flour, sugar, tea. Imported fruit bananas, oranges available.

l l l l 1950 onwards. White bread and tea became popular. Bacon and eggs eaten by middle class but oatmeal and corn meal still used a lot. Shop-bought food considered fancy and demand rose e. g. tinned custard, tinned corn beef. Electricity in 1950’s and 60’s meant fridges and more perishable foods 1960 prosperity and foreign travel meant demand for new foods eg. Italian and Chinese. 1970’s and 80 s growing demand for convenience food. Early versions lacked fibre, vits. and mins. and were high in salt, sugar, additives. 90’s meat and dairy consumption went up and potatoes and bread went down

2 ooo’s l l l l l Lifestyle changes mean meals are irregular, main meal in evening, family members eat separately. Rice , pasta, cous eaten instead of potato. Bigger range of bread, pitta, french, ciabatta, naan, tortilla, foccacia etc. . Frying, grilling, roasting, barbeque, microwave replace boiling and stewing. Families get take-away food or eat out more often. Influence of media travel and immigrants on food demands. People more aware of nutrition and demand healthy food Still demand for convenience food but of higher quality Some progress has been made on improving Irish diet but there is still much to do, obesity, heart disease, bowel cancer and other cancers are a major health problem and all can be food related.

The Irish Food Industry

Irish food agencies Dept. Agriculture, Fisheries and Food l Promote agri-food sector l Dev. Markets for Irish products. l Promote Irish fishing industry l Safeguard interests of all involved in the industry. l Implement legislation concerning fishing industry. Department of Health and Children l Food safety policies l Health promotion strategies (HSEs)

Irish food agencies An Bord Bia (Irish Food Board) l Promote Irish food drink and l horticulture industry. l Support food & drink companies. l Develop national and international markets. An Bord Iascaigh Mhara (Irish Fisheries Board) l Develop Irish marine culture l Promote seafood nationally & internationally. l Get people to eat more fish

Irish food agencies Teagasc (Agriculture and Food Dev Authority) l Research on agriculture & food production. l Advice and training re farming e. g. REPS Scheme (Rural Environmental Protection Scheme) Enterprise Ireland l Promote development of industry in Irl. l Advise on setting up or expanding small business. l Provide grants for equipment and start up. The Food Safety Authority (FSAI)

Irish food industry - facts l l l In 2008, Irish agri-food and drink exports decreased by an estimated 6. 5% to reach approximately € 8. 16 bn (Bord Bia 2008). 8% Irelands GDP over 160, 000 jobs. There approximately 132, 700 family farms It accounts for a major proportion of exports of Irishowned enterprise Products are sold in over 170 markets around the world.

Structure of Irish Food Industry 9 key areas or sectors l 1. Dairy & Ingredients l 2. Beef l 3. Lamb l 4. Pig Meat l 5. Poultry l 6. Mariculture l 7. Edible Horticulture l 8. Beverages l 9. Prepared Consumer Foods

Export markets 2008 UK l Other EU l Rest of world l 43% 33% 24%

Irish Food & Drinks Exports CATEGORY 2007 2008(E) million € 2008/2007 % +/- l Dairy Products & Ingredients 2, 329 Prepared Foods 1, 822 Beef 1, 570 Beverages 1, 440 Pigmeat 368 Seafood 352 Poultry 243 Edible Horticulture & Cereals 249 Sheepmeat 184 Live Animals 170 2, 202 -5. 4 1, 543 -15. 3 1, 687 +7. 5 1, 246 -13. 0 360 - 2. 2 352 0. 0 223 - 8. 0 236 - 5. 1 166 -10. 0 148 -13. 0 l Total Food & Drinks 8, 163 l l l l l 8, 727 -6. 5

Major Food Exports 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. Dairy & Ingredients: 80%production is exported to 5 continents, 2. 2 billion (2008). Prepared Foods: wide range convenience foods, fastest growing sector, 1. 5 billion (2008) Beef: 90% of production exported to 60 countries, 1. 6 billion (2008). Beverages: non-alcoholic e. g. spring water, alcoholic e. g. whiskey, 1. 2 billion (2008). Pigmeat: 50% of production exported to UK, EU, USA, Japan, 360 million (2008).

6. Seafood: Ireland exports shellfish, fresh fish and processed fish. 352 million (2008). 7. Edible Horticulture: Potatoes, soft fruit , root vegetable & cereals, 236 million (2008). Ire supplies 50% of UK mushroom needs. 8. Sheepmeat: 66% of production is exported, mostly to EU, mainly France, 166 million (2008). 9. Live Animals: 148 million (2008).

Major Imports l l Many imports are the same foods we export. Insufficient home produce available. Home grown produce are out of season. Many imports are packaged in Irl or UK

The role of small food business & home enterprise l l l Speciality foods= fastest growing sector of agric-food business. Speciality foods are produced in small quantities, by small businesses or home enterprise, uses traditional skills, non industrial. Cheeses (over 30), chutney, jam, sauces, smoked foods, chocolates, cured meat, breads, biscuits. Perceived to be natural, healthier, better quality. Often rural based, provide employment, exported produce enhance local area and Irelands rep. for good quality food. Bord Bia says the speciality food market is worth about 140 million (2005)

Investigation of local food industry l Errigal Fish are involved in the primary, secondary and tertiary processing of shellfish and pelagic products for reprocessing, wholesale and retail markets. . . Errigal Fish Company Limited: Seafood Processors and Exporters was founded in 1972 and is a member of the Lett Group Limited. Errigal's modern processing plant consists of two factories both consisting of 8000 square meters in size. l The facilities have been HACCP approved which incorporates: l l - 250 Mt Blast Freezing per day. - 4 Horizontal Plate Freezers. - 6, 500 Mt Cold Storage - IQF freezing Plant. - Automatic Filleting & Marinating Processing Lines. - Purpose built Shellfish Cooking lines 40 tonnes per day. - In House Laboratory for Microbiological , Chemical & Organoleptic analysis. - Biological Waste-water treatment plant.

Errigal Fish Limited valued resources play a vital role in the high quality processing that we have to offer. Our Human resources consist of a high calibre team who have been with the company since its establishment and are familiar with all the aspects and quality standards associated with the fish processing business. This team consists of: - Management team x 4. - Administration Personnel x 7. - Microbiologist x 1. - Laboratory Technician x 1. - Full- time Staff x 80. - Part- time staff x 117.

Shellfish: Chilled Whole Cooked Vacuum Packed Pasteurised Crab. Hand Extracted Brown Crab Meats. Pasteurised Cooked Crab Claws. IQF Graded Whelk Meats: Cooked & Fresh Frozen Pasteurised Cooked Shell On Whelk. ( Bulot / Bai Top Shell) Pasteurised Cooked Shell On Periwinkle. ( Bigourneaux) IQF Cooked & Graded Mussel Meats. ( Mytilus Edulis) (Bulk & Polybagged) Pelagic: Frozen Mackerel products. (Scomber Scombrus) Frozen Herring Products. ( Clupea Harengus) Frozen Herring Roe. ( Kazunoko) Frozen Herring Milts / Soft Roes. Marinated Herring. (Clupea Harengus) Fillets. ( Saurflaps & Saurfilllet) Frozen Graded Horse Mackerel. (AJI) Frozen Spratt Products. ( Sprattus) Brands: Donegal, Donegal Krabba, Tuskar Rock and Celtic.

Our markets are on a global scale. The configuration of our markets include: Japan, Korea, Sweden, France, Spain and Poland. Wholesale, Reprocessing & Business to Business and Direct Supply to Retail Multiples in EU & Scandinavia.

Careers in food industry l l Broad range of careers Qualifications and training needed vary greatly EG production operator or factory floor worker only may go straight to work after post primary school but dietician needs a degree. Wide variety of certificate, diploma and degree courses available.

Courses l l l Agricultural college: farm management, agri-business training. Unis: degrees in human nutrition, dietetics, food science, food technology, food business. ITs : certs, diplomas in food science, nutrition, dietetics, hotel management, specialised skills training in butchering baking, confectionery, Fáilte Ireland courses e. g. chef, waiter, receptionist, barman, hotel manager. St Angela’s College of Education: Bachelor of Education degree (Home Ec), food science. Teagasc: Farm management, cheese making etc. .

Areas of work Example of career opportunities Supplying Farmer, fisherman, horticulture, butcher, baker Production operator Promotion Marketing, advertising, organising e. g. BIM Retailing Retailer, demonstrator, distributor Catering Chef, waiter, restauranteur Food technologist, product developer, food technician Dietetics Nutritionist, dietician Quality controller, food consultant, food inspector Food safety Environmental health officer, microbiologist, public analyst Maintenance Fitter, mechanic, electrician