We continually review the nutritional content of our products, reducing public-health- sensitive components such as salt, sugar and trans fatty acids, and increasing others considered to be positive for health, such as calcium, iron, whole grains and fiber.

To ensure our products meet the local needs and preferences of consumers, many of them are produced with subtle variations. For example, we launched local variations of traditional products in Brazil two years ago, starting in the north-east. These include Leite Idéal, a variation of Ninho/Nido with a different combination of vitamins and ingredients, and Nescafé Dolca, a milder variation of the traditional Nescafé brand.

Optimising Nutrition

Enhancing:

• Whole grains: 1.6 billion additional servings in Europe (2004-2007)
• Health benefits: Branded Active Benefits
• Micronutrients: vitamins, minerals and trace elements

Reducing*:

• Trans fatty acids: 34 200 tonnes removed, Dec 2003 - Feb 2007
• Sugar: 204 000 tonnes removed, Jan 2003 - Dec 2006
• Salt: 5000 tonnes removed, Apr 2005 - Dec 2006

* Cereal Partners Worldwide not included in these figures

Cereal Partners Worldwide (CPW), a 50/50 joint venture with General Mills Inc., is improving its breakfast cereals with whole grains, which studies have shown to contribute to better heart health, blood sugar regulation and weight management. CPW has, since 2003, added an extra 1.6 billion servings of whole grain to its European product range. Alongside this, CPW has also removed 3500 tonnes of sugar and 530 tonnes of salt.

Tackling Obesity
Obesity occurs when energy consumption exceeds energy expenditure over time, and the excess is stored as body fat. One of the main causes is excessive consumption of energy, for example, from fatty snacks and sugary drinks. Nestlé addresses this through:

• Recipe innovation and renovation, seeking to optimize nutrition, for example by removing trans fatty acids, or reducing fat, sugar or salt
• The 60/40+ program, delivering taste and nutritional superiority over competing products
• Branded Active Benefits, providing additional nutritional benefits
• The Nestlé Nutritional Compass, providing comprehensive nutritional information to allow consumers to make informed choices
• Helplines, providing one-to-one advice on subjects including nutrition
• Development of nutrition-oriented brands and technologies such as Lean Cuisine, Jenny Craig and Slow Churn ice cream.

Nutrition for family pets
Pets are an important source of companionship and psychological well-being to many people around the world. Concern over obesity and health is not restricted to humans, and much of our human nutrition knowledge can be adapted for cats and dogs. For example, intestinal bacteria in pets show many similarities to those in humans, so Nestlé scientists have formulated a range of balanced pet foods that promote a long and healthy life. This includes extending the use of prebiotics - non-digestible carbohydrates that selectively stimulate the growth of good bacteria to aid intestinal function - to pet food.

Nestlé is now an industry leader in the sector, starting with the purchase of Carnation in 1985, followed by the acquisition of Spillers and then Ralston-Purina to create Purina Petcare .

Purina Pro Plan® is addressing the changing nutrition and physiological needs of ageing cats with new dry cat food formulas specifically for two different senior life stages: mature (7-11) and senior (11 and over). For further information, please visit Purina website .