East Midlands caterers, chefs and food manufacturers are keen to discover new products that could make their dishes healthier without compromising on taste.

That's the view to emerge from a working party set up by the Food and Drink innovation Network (iNet). A wide range of salt, sugar and fat substitutes that provide the same taste and texture as traditional ingredients is now available to the industry.

But chefs, caterers and manufacturers told the working party event that raising awareness of these key products would help increase their use - and help the hospitality trade to provide healthier meals.

The Safe Food and Healthy Eating working party was set up to bring together food manufacturers, food service operators and those working in the hospitality sector in the East Midlands to look at how their products fit into a healthy eating and food safety conscious society. They were joined by researchers and new product development experts who are at the cutting edge of innovations in the food ingredients sector.

The Food & Drink Forum's food technical manager Richard Wigley and freelance dietician and special lecturer at The University of Nottingham Nicky Gilbert gave presentations at the event, held at Nottingham Trent University's Brackenhurst Campus, Southwell.

Now the working party plans to meet again in July to look at the different ingredients available to make products healthier and evaluate the effects they may have on the recipe.

"The working party event proved to be very informative and interesting. It has given us excellent feedback that we can use to help manufacturers and those in the food service industry create healthier meals, without compromising on taste," said Emma Swinscoe.

Richard Wigley told delegates that sales of healthier option foods have grown faster than sales as a whole, and the healthy eating trend is here to stay. Cutting back on fats, sugars and salts will remain a key driver.

Nicky Gilbert outlined public health concerns over obesity, what influences dietary habits and considerations for the food industry.

Among the delegates were representatives from East Midlands restaurants and producers, along with academics working in food research and new product development consultants.

Funded by East Midlands Development Agency (emda), the Food and Drink iNet is managed by a consortium, led by the Food & Drink Forum and including; the Food Processing Faraday Partnership, Nottingham Trent University, the University of Lincoln, and the University of Nottingham.

The aim of the iNet is to bring together partnerships of regional businesses, universities, the public sector and innovative individuals to drive the successful exploitation of new ideas.

Based at Southglade Food Park, Nottingham, it covers Nottinghamshire, Lincolnshire, Leicestershire, Derbyshire, Northamptonshire and Rutland.