United Biscuits – Salt Reduction Alice Cadman 22 nd May 2012

UB Portfolio of brands Over 300 individual product recipes 8 separate FSA salt target categories Taste plays a fundamental role in UB’s products. “The consumer is our boss”

The contribution of biscuits and snacks to dietary salt intake Source: UK NDNS

UB has already made substantial reductions in salt 23% reduction achieved across biscuits and cakes 18% reduction achieved across savoury snacks

There are many ingredients that UB uses that will have an impact on salt content In reality the “salt” targets are sodium targets. Ingredients that contain sodium: –Salt (sodium chloride). Used to deliver taste and structure. Used within the product and on the surface. –Sodium bicarbonate. Commonly known as “baking soda”.A raising agent, without which biscuits would be flat and hard. –Monosodium glutamate. A flavour enhancer. UB is phasing this out, but it is hard to replace without the consumer noticing. –Cheese powder. Bought in rather than manufactured, so reliant on supplier reformulations. Has a significant impact on product taste. –Yeast powders. Bought in. Significant role in the development of biscuit doughs.Add an important element of the savoury flavour –Savoury flavourings. Flavouring industry continues to rise to the challenge of delivering lower sodium flavours that will be accepted by consumers.

Reformulation Challenges – Sweet Biscuits Flavour Salt is a natural flavour enhancer in sweet as well as savoury biscuits Raising agents A fundamental role in creating “lift” via the air pockets that are created A biscuit without air in the structure is dense and hard If removed from biscuits, the colour and flavour will also be affected If removed from cake, it will go stale or rancid more quickly. Structure Salt plays a role in biscuit texture and structure. Removal of too much salt can cause biscuits to crack and break Interaction of ingredients There is a relationship between salt and saturated fat in the structure of the biscuit. Replacing saturated fat (semi solid) with unsaturated fat (liquid) can reduce the strength of the biscuit. This limits the amount of salt that can subsequently be removed

Reformulation Challenges – Savoury Biscuits Surface sprinkle This is a key delivery mechanism for taste of many savoury biscuits. Eg Krackawheat Capital investment required in some cases to apply reduced surface sprinkle Cheese powder Some brands rely on a cheesey taste as their proposition – eg Cheddars, Carrs Cheese Thins Yeast powder Fermentation cannot happen without yeast. This is important for Cream Crackers and other savoury biscuits (Krackawheat) Yeast also contributes to the savoury flavour UB is working with suppliers to develop lower sodium cheese and yeast powders Salt The salt levels in the dough will affect the “water activity” in the dough, ie how moisture is contained within the dough

Reformulation Challenges – Savoury Snacks Salt Affects the texture as a component of extruded snacks (eg Hula Hoops) pelleted snacks (eg Skips) and crisps. Flavour enhancers Ingredients used to replace MSG and salt are often yeast extracts. These are harder to use in the factory as they are more prone to picking up moisture, forming clumps. Specific flavour challenges Salt &Vinegar, meat flavours are particularly difficult to make changes to without consumers giving us negative feedback Consumers tell us in research that they are looking for higher impact flavours. Difficult to deliver with lower levels of sodium. Investment opportunity in new application technology

Tracking the progress UB tracks each individual recipe that has yet to meet the FSA salt targets Monthly updates and reviews with marketing and technical teams on red/amber/green status

Approval process UB technologists work with flavour houses and factory teams to select and trial lower sodium recipes UB senior management sample all recipe changes in a controlled “blind” test. If approved, the reformulated recipes are evaluated by in-house sensory team and by UB employees in carefully controlled test environments. Tests will be for difference, similarity or preference, depending on the project objectives. Salt reduced recipes are monitored over the period of their shelf life. New recipes are trialled extensively in factories and travel tests carried out If recipes pass the internal sensory evaluation, and are of significant commercial value, they are researched with consumers. The consumer research results are presented to senior UB management for approval.

Costs Costs can result from any/all of the following: New ingredients -redeveloped flavourings, alternative yeast or cheese powders New equipment to sprinkle reduced levels of salt accurately. Technical expertise and resource Factory trials, especially where product has to be sent to waste Consumer research. Each product test costs c£20,000

Summary UB is making good progress on salt reduction There are technical and commercial challenges at a time when commercial pressures are intense and resource is stretched between reformulation and innovation goals UB is committed to the reformulation plans and will continue to make progress wherever possible, to deliver great tasting products with improved health credentials.