Nutritional evaluation of cooked sausages in the market of the Republic of Serbia using the Nutri-Score methodology

Abstract

Enhancing diet quality is a recognized strategy for reducing the burden of non-communicable diseases (NCDs), making it a primary focus of public health policies worldwide. The Nutri-Score, a front-of-pack labeling logo utilizing five color-coded letters (A, B, C, D, E), has been established as a means to assist consumers in promptly identifying healthier prepackaged foods within a given food category. It has a positive influence in terms of consumer awareness, perception, comprehension, and purchasing behavior and potentially contributes to a decrease in the prevalence of NCDs. The objective of this research was to assess the Nutri- Score of finely and coarsely ground cooked sausages available in the Serbian market. To accomplish this, a total of 189 packaged cooked sausages from the eight largest supermarket chains in the Belgrade region of the Republic of Serbia were analyzed. The sausages were evaluated using the Nutri-score method and categorized accordingly. The results of the Nutri-Score analysis revealed that only 1.1% of the cooked sausages fell into Group C, while 62.4% were classified as Group D, and 36.5% were classified as Group E. The reduction of sodium and saturated fatty acids, which are major contributors to unfavorable Nutri-scores in cooked sausages, is crucial due to their significant presence, often leading to their classification as "unhealthy foods."