Offal campaign wins AIMS backing

Organuary, established by the Public Health Collaboration (PHC) advocates eating organ meats in at least one meal, twice a week, within the diet throughout January.

AIMS said it supported the campaign’s ‘Minimise Waste, Maximise Nutrition’ strapline, adding that it would incorporate ‘Eat More, Eat Better’ as part of the message.

AIMS spokesman Tony Goodger said that, with offal sales in the UK falling by 13% last year, Organuary would help remind consumers of the great value for money as well as the environmental benefits derived from eating more of the animal.

Simple campaign message​

“Organuary’s ‘Minimise Waste, Maximise Nutrition’ message is simple. We would add, ‘Eat More’ of the animal and ‘Eat Better’ by ensuring that the offal you are buying is from UK Farm Assured stock,”​ Goodger said.

PHC director Sam Feltham said: “In the UK, livestock farming has a carbon footprint that is 2.5 times lower than the global average. This is partially because UK livestock are up to 90% grass-fed and 85% of their water consumption comes from rainwater.​

“Therefore, it is our view that if you buy standard British-farmed organ meats, it’s potentially at least carbon-neutral, if not a net benefit for carbon sequestration.”​

Nutrition and mineral benefits​

Offal has been shown to provide a variety of nutrition and mineral benefits. According to public health researcher Dr Zoë Harcombe, liver, in particular, scores highly for retinol, most of the B vitamin group and is outstanding for iron.

“If you want to win a nutrient contest, pick liver and you’ve won,”​ she said.

Feltham added: “I really hope that consumers in the UK and across the globe get behind Organuary and we are grateful to AIMS for its moral support.”​

While domestic sales have fallen, HMRC figures show a year-on-year sales increase of 14.1% in offal exports, valued at £138m.