A new chapter in the history of the Scotch pie was written today as a "healthier version" of the famous pie relished by football fans throughout the country was unveiled at Hampden Park with the help of Abertay’s Food Innovation team.
Scottish football journalist and food critic, Tam Cowan, launched the pie, which is said to retain the flavour and character of the traditional mutton-based Scotch Pie but is 20% lower in saturated fat and salt than industry average.
An estimated three million Scotch pies are consumed by Scottish football fans each season and during a sampling at the national stadium, Cowan gave his seal of approval to the new Scotch Pie, developed by Quality Meat Scotland.
The £40,000 project, match-funded by Scottish Enterprise, saw Quality Meat Scotland working with Abertay’s Food Innovation team and seven different meat producers.
The recipe has been created in a project to investigate the potential to lower the salt and saturated fat content of eight traditional Scots favourites - including black pudding, sausages and bacon - while retaining the flavour that makes the products so popular.
Dietician Jennifer Robertson, health and education co-ordinator with Quality Meat Scotland, said a major challenge of the project was the need to retain the flavour which the Scottish favourites are famed for.
"A key objective from the outset of this project was the creation of a range of product formulations which would meet the nutrition specifications required by the public sector supplying venues such as schools and hospitals," said Robertson.
"Getting the formulations right has taken considerable time but it has also been incredibly rewarding and the Scotch pie in particular has been a great success."
Pies made using the new formulation are currently only available from award-winning Kippen-based butcher, TR Skinner, who assisted with the project and QMS is confident there will be strong interest in the reformulated pie, and other products, going forward.
Skinner, whose grandfather set up the family business 42 years ago, said that along with the technical expertise provided by QMS he had drawn on pie-making skills passed down the generations to create a product which is delicious and lower in salt and fat.
"The resulting pie has been such a success that we have now switched our range completely to the new recipe pie and our customers - who expect the best from us - tell us they love them!" he said.
The Scotch pie is the best-selling hot food item at Hampden and football stadiums throughout the country.
To find out more about Food Innovation at Abertay please visit http://www.foodinnovation.abertay.ac.uk/
Photograph shows Tam Cowan with butcher Cameron Skinner