Nutritionist Dr Carrie Ruxton, said manufacturers had a responsibility and commercial incentive to tackle the iron shortfall in 11 to 64 year-olds. She argued that using red meat in a more healthy way and in more appealing portion sizes would also tap into demand for food that made people feel more energetic.
"If iron intakes are chronically low, iron-deficiency anaemia can occur which can cause breathlessness, tiredness, muscle fatigue, headaches and insomnia," she said.
"Manufacturers need to help prevent this and be braver in their use of red meat. They need to show people women especially how to use it in a more healthy way, such as in stir-frys or salads,."
In the most recent National Diet and Nutrition Survey (NDNS), mean intakes of iron were well below the Reference Nutrient Intake (RNI) for girls aged 11 to 18 years and for women aged 19 to 64 years, at 58% and 79% of the RNI respectively.
Manufacturers should also lose "their obsession" with chicken in pre-prepared meals and introduce more red meat, she added.
While many breakfast cereals are fortified with iron, Ruxton urged manufacturers not to go down that avenue with other products. She said the plant-based non-haem iron used in fortification was not absorbed so well because it could be affected by other ingredients.
