The UK’s food standards regulator has made a number of proposals designed to cut saturated fat in savoury snacks and healthier options and smaller portion sizes more available.
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While the Food Standards Agency (FSA) acknowledged that “many” savoury snacks have been reformulated to reduce saturated fat, it emphasised that they still remain a focus for the agency because they are still “often high in fat and calories”.
The FSA has therefore proposed a number of voluntary initiatives across the dairy, meat and savoury snack categories.
In dairy, proposals include promotion of milk that has 1% fat or lower, reduced-fat cheddar and reduced-fat ice cream.
In meat, the FSA wants the industry to reduce the fat content of sausages, pies and pastries. Meanwhile, in savoury snacks, the agency has called on manufacturers to reduce portion sizes to 3-g or less and encourage consumers to buy smaller pack sizes.
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By GlobalDataThe FSA has launched a consultation on its proposals with the industry.
“The agency’s proposals are a challenge for the industry, but we know that many businesses have already made great progress in improving the healthiness of their products. Our aim is to ensure that people have a range of smaller portion sizes and lower-saturated-fat options to choose from when shopping, which will make it easier for them to eat a healthier diet,” Clair Baynton, the agency’s head of nutrition, said.
This is the second of two consultations proposing voluntary action to reduce saturated fat and calories in foods. The first, which was launched in July and closed on 3 November, covered soft drinks with added sugar, chocolate confectionery and biscuits, cakes, pastries and buns.
The agency is seeking views on its proposals by 9 March. The final recommendations from both consultations will be published next year.
