Liverpool council seeks health labels on take-aways

Liverpool City Council has called on take-away outlets in the region to show traffic light-style labels on menus so customers can tell whether their food is healthy.

The move is an extension of the Food Standards Agency‘s (FSA) red, amber and green labelling scheme for packaged food in retail outlets.

It follows a council survey that analysed 300 meals from take-aways in the region, including Chinese, Indian, pizza, fish and chips and burger outlets. Researchers discovered one pepperoni pizza which busted the daily salt, fat and calorie guidance in just one serving.

The labels will indicate whether there are high, medium or low levels of salt, fat and sugar in the food being offered, and the council might add a black indicator where levels top 120% of the recommended daily limit in one serving.

Local trading standards officers are talking to take-aways to persuade them to take part in the trial. The council plans to use respected chefs to help outlets that want to cut salt and fat in their food without losing the flavour.

The FSA said it would follow the results of the trial closely.

Get your copy of Caterer and Hotelkeeper every week -