FAQs

Our Product Range

Q. Does your food contain additives?

A. Birds Eye Foodservice does not add any artificial colours, flavours or preservatives in the creation of its recipes. However, some of our products do contain essential additives to ensure the quality attributes of the products, for example we add baking powder to our crumb and batter coatings to ensure we can deliver a crisp texture but, we do not use sodium di-phosphates in the meat of our chicken products.

Where we do use additives in our products we openly explain our reasons for doing so on pack.

Q. So is your product range whiter than white then?

A. We are an honest and open brand. Everything in our range uses the best quality ingredients, and everything is frozen for a good reason - it’s the most natural way to preserve food. We don’t add artificial colours or flavours, we simply bring you tasty, wholesome food. Of course, we won’t stop there - we’ll keep working to make our food even better.

Q. Do your products use GM [genetically modified] ingredients?

A. Birds Eye Foodservice does not use genetically modified ingredients and procedures are in place to ensure our ingredients are free from genetically modified materials.

Q. Frozen is not particularly associated with care and quality. What evidence do you have to the contrary?

A. Birds Eye has always been obsessed with care and quality. The frozen food market was pioneered by Birds Eye and as such we have the expertise to guarantee quality. All of our food is quick-frozen to preserve the flavour, texture, colour or nutritive value of our frozen food. As a result it produces results more closely resembling the best-unpreserved examples of a very wide range of foods while using nature’s preservative to lock in goodness.

Q. How much does the freezing process change the ingredients?

A. All of our food is quick-frozen to preserve the flavour, texture, colour or nutritive value of our frozen food. As a result it produces results more closely resembling the best-unpreserved examples of a very wide range of foods while using nature’s preservative to lock in goodness

Q. What is blanching?

A. Blanching is a commercial process of plunging vegetables in boiling water prior to freezing in order to prolong their stability. The quality of the vegetable is suspended at the time of blanching.

Q. What are the benefits of freezing?

A. All of our food is quick-frozen to preserve the flavour, texture, colour or nutritive value of our frozen food. As a result it produces results more closely resembling the best-unpreserved examples of a very wide range of foods while using nature’s preservative to lock in goodness, providing convenient availability, cost management and waste reduction in the kitchen

Q. What is the history of freezing?

A. The frozen food industry, spearheaded by Birds Eye, has in fact been very much at the forefront of the shopping and eating revolution in this country. Frozen vegetables and fish fillets first made their appearance in 1946, though they were considered then to be something of a luxury item. But it was in the 1950’s when food rationing finally ended, and the 1960s as refrigeration availability in shops and homes began to improve, that the range of frozen foods was swelled by the introduction of many novel and innovative ideas.

Perhaps the best-known and most publicised launch by Birds Eye was in 1955 for fish fingers. Not only were these convenient for the ‘housewife’ who was relieved of the chore of handling and cooking raw fish, but they were hailed as an ideal way of encouraging children to enjoy the nutritional benefits offered by eating fish.

Q. Surely if your products are frozen, they’re full of nasty preservatives?

A. The answer to this is simple - no. Birds Eye Foodservice does not add any preservatives to its food. Freezing is the most natural way to keep food fresh.

Q. So why do you claim freezing is a ‘natural’ process?

A. When you freeze something, you are suspending it in time. For example, from the moment you pick a pea it will start to lose its goodness. Therefore, we ensure that our peas are frozen within two and a half hours from picking to ensure we keep them at their peak of freshness.

Freezing is nature’s best preservative and hence keeps food fresh without the need of additional preservatives or the loss of vitamins and minerals.

Q. Is the Birds Eye freezing process better than other brands?

A. The technical freezing process is the same, however the natural freezing process is only part of the reason why our food is so good. Everything in our range uses the best quality ingredients and everything is frozen for a good reason – it’s the most natural way to preserve food. We don’t add artificial colours or flavours, we simply bring you tasty, wholesome food. And of course, we won’t stop there either - we’ll keep working to make our food even better.

Q. Are frozen vegetables better for you than fresh?

A. When you freeze something, you are suspending it in time; for example, from the moment you pick a pea it will start to lose its goodness. Therefore, we ensure that our peas are frozen within two and a half hours of picking to ensure we keep them at their peak freshness.

Research has shown that:

• Peas retain 60 – 70% of their vitamin C during blanching and freezing
• There is less than 10% loss of vitamin C during 12 months frozen storage
• Frozen peas contain more vitamin C than fresh peas stored in their pods at: - ambient for 3 days - chill / ambient for 6 days - chill for 2 weeks
• Frozen broccoli retains over 80% of its vitamin C during blanching and freezing
• Less than 10% loss of vitamin C during 12 months of frozen storage
• Frozen broccoli contains more vitamin C than fresh broccoli stored at:
  - ambient for 2 days
  - chill / ambient conditions for 5 days

Freezing is nature’s best preservative and it therefore keeps food fresh without the need for additional preservatives or the loss of vitamins and minerals.

Q. Can your products form part of a nutritionally balanced menu / diet?

A. Yes. Birds Eye Foodservice has created a wide range of food products, all of which can form part of a healthy balanced diet. There are no good or bad foods, just good or bad diets!

We can provide caterers with nutritional information (not just in line with EU legislation, but also the School Food Trust’s 14 nutrients) so they can make the most appropriate choice in the foods they buy and serve. Caterers may also obtain further advice from our Care Line and website.

Q. Do your products fit within the nutritional guidelines for adults?

A. We have our own nutrition criteria for products based on an interpretation of the advice for adult diets.

Q. What nutritional benefits do your products offer?

A. Each different Birds Eye Foodservice product offers different nutritional benefits; for example frozen peas provide vitamin C. (Birds Eye vegetables are picked and quick frozen within a matter of hours so the vital vitamins are locked in until you are ready to unlock them in the kitchen.)

Soya beans provide a valuable source of protein for vegetarians and can also help manage cholesterol levels.

Our Fish Fingers deliver fish in tasty form and experts advise we eat two portions of fish a week.

Omega 3 Enriched Fish Fingers deliver the essential fats EPA & DHA known collectively as Omega 3. Omega 3 is essential for the physical structure of the brain and helps maintain heart health

Our chicken and beef burger range are a delicious source of protein, essential for growth as well as the repair and maintenance of body tissues.

Q. Do any of your products count towards ‘Five a Day’?

A. Yes all our vegetables, including soya beans, count. Birds Eye Food Service vegetables are picked and quick frozen within a matter of hours so the vital vitamins are locked in until you are ready to unlock them in the kitchen. With plenty of fresh-frozen vegetables in your freezer, it is not too difficult to achieve a menu that will deliver the ‘Five a Day’ recommendation.

We need to try and eat about 400g (1lb) of vegetables and fruit every day, so a portion would be about 80g (3.5oz). Examples of a portion include:

- Three tablespoons of small vegetables like peas or petit pois
- A portion of Steambag Vegetables

Q. You say your products are “wholesome” but some of your products are fried – can you really make that claim?

A. Birds Eye Foodservice is committed to providing nutritious, natural food as part of a balanced diet. However, we also want to provide tasty food that all members of the family will want to eat. For example, we know that one of the most effective ways to persuade a child to eat fish is to coat it in crispy breadcrumbs.

All our breaded and battered products are designed to meet strict nutrition standards, including fat and saturated fat, and may be oven cooked or grilled to avoid adding any additional fat on preparation.

Q. Are your ingredients fortified?

A. None of our products are fortified. All the vitamins and minerals in our products are natural.

Q. How did you get your guidelines?

A. We employ an in-house company nutritionist at Birds Eye, who works closely with independent bodies such as the British Nutrition Foundation, and other government and non-government organisations.

Nutrition experts external to the business have carried out two independent audits (2004 & 2006) and found our nutrition standards to be sound/ appropriate.