The UK Food Standards Agency last night outlined plans to consult on the prospect of voluntary recommendations for reducing added sugar and saturated fat in food products. The Agency is also hoping to increase availability of smaller single-portion sizes in a number of key foods – biscuits, cakes, pastries, buns, confectionery and soft drinks, and encouraging greater marketing spend on healthier options. “The Agency’s work to encourage industry to reformulate and reduce portion... ...Read more »

UK supermarkets should pull a range of snack products, including flapjacks, from their shelves in a bid to curb rising obesity, according to the outgoing head of the Food Standards Agency – the British food regulatory agency. Speaking to The Times at the end of her four-year stint as chair of the FSA, Dame Deirdre Hutton pointed the finger at certain snacks on supermarket shelves. “It is my personal view that supermarkets should stop marketing food that is small in size and high in calories.... ...Read more »

A new agreement between the New Zealand Food Safety Authority (NZFSA) and the United Kingdom Food Standards Agency (UKFSA) will see the two nations forge closer ties in regards to food safety. The two bodies are responsible for protecting consumer interests in relation to food safety and food standards in their respective countries – the equivalent of FSANZ in Australia. Under the arrangement, NZFSA and the Food Standards Agency will cooperate in areas of mutual interest, such as science, nutrition,... ...Read more »

Some of the most well-known restaurant chains on the UK high street have agreed to work with the Food Standards Agency (FSA) to put healthy eating firmly on the menu for their customers.PizzaExpress, Pizza Hut, The Restaurant Group, Tragus and Domino’s have all agreed to provide commitments, which will focus on the range of healthier options available to their customers. The companies together operate more than 2,000 restaurants and takeaway outlets across the UK. Although the commitments are... ...Read more »

The food labelling debate has ignited again overnight, following the release of the largest study on the issue completed to date. Commissioned by the UK Food Standards Agency, an independent group of experts completed an 18-month study to help determine the most effective policy going forward. A combination of traffic light labelling and Guideline Daily Amount (GDA) information was found to be the ideal front-of-pack solution. The group, known as the Project Management Panel (PMP), was responsible... ...Read more »

The UK Food Standards Agency (FSA) has said that current food advertising guidelines are beginning to have a positive impact and decided against scrapping a protein cap, which is currently used in determining what foods are advertised during children’s TV shows. The FSA Board agreed that the Nutrient Profiling model, which dictates what products can be promoted to children without incurring the wrath of advertising regulator Ofcom, was working effectively. In particular, the protein cap, which... ...Read more »

The UK Food Standards Agency (FSA) has launched a public health campaign to raise awareness of the health risks of eating too much saturated fat, with the food industry reporting that they are keen to continue improving in this area. The UK is currently eating 20% more saturated fat than UK Government recommendations, according to the Agency. The campaign will promote a range of simple, positive and practical steps to help improve our health and reduce the risk of developing diet-related illness. The... ...Read more »

A Federal Government survey has discovered bacteria levels in some raw meats to be higher than expected, according to The Australian, which claimed the results of the survey had been withheld due to concerns about the potential impact on Christmas sales. The survey, did, however, establish ‘superbugs’ were not yet prevalent in Australian food. Escherichia coli, commonly known as E.coli, was found in 69 per cent of poultry, 29.7 per cent of beef and 18.1 per cent of pork, but only 1 per... ...Read more »

The Food Standards Agency has moved to promote brands that have rid their products of certain artificial ingredients in the wake of an agreement of Ministers to the Food Standards Agency (FSA) recommending a voluntary ban on certain food colours. The colours (listed below) were linked to hyperactivity in children by the ‘Southampton Study’ in the UK in 2007. Australia’s food regulator, FSANZ, has since carried out tests of food products in Australia and suggested a ban on the colours... ...Read more »

The Food Standards Agency (FSA) has revised its guidance on the use of marketing terms, such as ‘fresh’, ‘pure’ and ‘natural’ for food labelling. Such claims are widely used in advertising and on packaging to promote the benefits of products but concerns have been raised as to what the labels really mean. The Agency consulted more than 1200 stakeholder organisations about the labelling guidance that it issued in 2002 and their revised guidance includes advice on... ...Read more »