Many Quebec families lack time to cook; therefore, prepared foods are part of the daily lives of busy consumers. Fortunately, these ready-to-eat products can be healthy choices. Local food processing companies are committed to raising the bar by improving the nutritional quality of their offerings, and government policies are reinforcing these efforts to encourage healthier food choices.
Posted at 7:30 a.m.
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Healthy foods every dayn
From morning toast to the star sandwiches of the lunch box, bread has established itself as an essential component of the daily life of Quebec households. This is why, as a committed food processor, Boulangerie St-Méthode places the health and well-being of consumers at the heart of its offering. The Chaudière-Appalaches company innovates and focuses, among other things, on local, nutrient-rich ingredients.
In recent years, we have tested the addition of superfoods like quinoa and chia to recipes, or even the use of ancient grains. These initiatives make it possible to offer products rich in fiber and nutrients, while meeting the nutritional needs established by Health Canada.
Carl Pouliot, general manager, Boulangerie St-Méthode
Innovation in the service of health consumers
Eating a healthy diet is one of the best ways to maintain good health and prevent chronic diseases. Quebec food processors are sensitive to this reality and take it into account in the varied products they develop. Thus, continuous improvement of the nutritional value of products requires innovation and collaboration with experts in nutrition and food science. This allows them to offer new lines of products with improved nutritional value, for example breads, soups and crackers reduced in salt as well as yogurts and fruit juices containing less sugar, or even cheeses with reduced content. in bold.
In addition, food processing technologies are often used to ensure that products reach high quality standards. Quebec notably offers frozen vegetables using preservation technology, used immediately after harvest, which allows the original nutritional value of the food to be maintained. In this way, consumers have access to quality seasonal vegetables grown in Quebec all year round.
The desire to eat healthily is also reflected in the food purchases made by Quebecers. Through their purchasing decisions, consumers have a major impact on food demand and the development of biofood companies. The efforts of Quebec food processing companies make it possible to offer healthy options to all those who care about eating well.
Biofood sector stakeholders mobilized
Through the development of the Quebec Biofood Policy, stakeholders in the food processing sector are committed to improving the health of Quebecers. In particular, they set a target to improve the nutritional value of processed foods in Quebec based on the sugar, sodium, saturated fat and fiber content of the products.
To achieve this, partners are mobilizing to accompany and support businesses to improve the supply of quality Quebec foods that promote health.
Learn more about Quebec’s biofood policy
A question of health public
Improving a recipe or developing a new product presents a certain number of technological challenges, affects taste quality and can result in additional costs for Quebec businesses. However, for food processors like Boulangerie St-Méthode, these improvements respond to growing demand from consumers, who are increasingly concerned about the quality of their food.
It is crucial that processing companies commit to improving the quality of the food supply, because they play a central role in public health and the evolution of consumption habits.
Carl Pouliot, general manager, Boulangerie St-Méthode
