The flag over the Irish ingredients business is contained in an interim management statement issued yesterday, which confirms that overall full year results are in line with full year expectations.

Food Ingredients and Nutritionals are accounted under Glanbia’s International division. On balance, performance is said to be “satisfactory”. In the US, demand for cheese has remained strong, the firm said.

Moreover the Nutritionals division will include recently-acquired Optimum Nutrition in the full year report, on which it spent €256m and has invested €80m in capital.