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The Finnish embassy in Seoul showcased last week the country’s wholesome, organic edibles in a bid to raise its profile in Korea, where consumers increasingly look for healthy options in their diet.
Finland, located at the northeastern edge of Europe, is famous for its simple, yet nutritious cuisine made from organic ingredients grown near the Arctic. Much of its food comes from the unsoiled arctic greens and its crystal-clear waters.
Representing cleanness, trustworthiness and high quality, the Finnish food is strictly regulated for hygiene from inception through production and cooking to distribution, according to the embassy.
The showcase was organized by the Finnish embassy, Finpro and Food From Finland. It was led by Jaana Husu-Kallio, Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry, who visited Korea with other government officials.
“Finnish food is produced with the highest level of safety from our clean environment,” Husu-Kallio said. “Under our national ‘One Health’ concept, we make food with a holistic notion that our health is indispensably linked to the health of animals and the environment.”
Key characteristics of the Finnish food industry are the physical and emotional well-being of livestock, low incidents of zoonotic diseases and low levels of antimicrobial resistance, according to the deputy minister.
“Finns craze over healthy and organic edibles,” said Esa Wrang, program director of Food From Finland. “We try to minimize eating fat and salt in everyday cuisine, and prefer consuming cereals rich in oat, rye and other nutrients.”
Various wild berries are used in varying gastronomies of the Nordic nation, and sold worldwide as a mainstay export item. No harmful substances are found in the country’s meat, which is produced under strict regulations, according to Food From Finland.
Participating companies included Atria, producer of pork, beef, chicken and turkey; HKScan, a leading meat and food company in the Nordic region in business for over 100 years; Finnish Cheese Company, a firm producing gourmet cheese spreads made of real, natural and minimally processed ingredients; Finn Spring, which makes premium water from Finland and has won international accolades; FP-Kotaja, artisan of the Rose Petal Confiture; and Kaslink, which specializes in liquid dairy products, sauces, plant-based foods, health and sports drinks.
Other enterprises were Lignell & Piispanen, manufacturer of arctic luxury liqueurs and vodkas; Lindstrom, textile and work wear producer; Luomunokka, organic chicken producer; Mallaskoski Craft Brewery; Puhdistamo, maker of freeze-dried berries and plants; Roberts, northern European berry producer; Snellmann, meat producer; and Veen Waters.
By Joel Lee (joel@heraldcorp.com)
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Articles by Korea Herald
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