A report from employers group IBEC shows that food companies have invested heavily in developing new products that provide consumers with choices for a healthier lifestyle.
The report titled 'Enabling Healthier Lifestyles' was launched by the Food & Drink Industry section of IBEC.
It says that food companies have moved fast and invested heavily in response to consumer preferences for healthy options such as products reformulated with fewer additives and less salt.
Shane Dempsey of Food & Drink Industry Ireland said that increasingly food companies provide Guideline Daily Amount labels to inform consumers.
In addition, he said, many companies have adopted ethical marketing guidelines and provide sponsorship support for a range of healthy activities across Ireland.
Mr Dempsey, who is Head of Consumer Foods, said the drop in the average daily consumption of salt to 8-8.5g in recent years was due primarily to the efforts of FDI member companies, public health bodies and the Food Safety Authority.
The 'Enabling Healthier Lifestyles' report also outlines the food industry's efforts to improve the health impact of food by removing substances such as saturated fat, trans-fatty acids, additives and sugar.
Mr Dempsey said research by the Irish Universities Nutritional Alliance found that the Irish population has inadequate intakes of certain vitamins and minerals.
Women however fall short of the recommended daily intake for calcium, iron and folic acid while children and teenagers have inadequate intakes of calcium, iron, and vitamin A, C and D.
As a result Irish food companies responded to the data and have fortified their products with folic acid and vitamin D, thereby compensating for Irish people's low exposure to sunshine which generates Vitamin D.
