UK target nutrient specifications for manufactured products used in school meals (Wales)

The key proposals are:
UK target nutrient specifications for manufactured products used in school meals to support the Government's intention to revise the current nutritional standards for school lunches. Specifically to agree:

• Target maximum values for total fat, saturated fat, total sugar and salt for manufactured products used in school meals
• Target minimum values for protein for certain manufactured vegetarian products used in school meals

The proposed target nutrient specifications would be voluntary. Manufacturers supplying foods to school caterers and caterers supplying school meals would be encouraged to adopt these specifications. Schools would be encouraged to use these specifications in procurement contracts.

Detail of Consultation

Background

In England, the White Paper 'Choosing Health: Making Healthy Choices Easier', published in November last year, announced the Government's intention to revise the current nutritional standards for school lunches and to consider introducing nutrient-based standards. Scotland already has weekly nutrient-based standards for school meals as set out in 'Hungry for Success'. In Wales, as part of the whole school approach to food and nutrition, the Welsh Assembly government is establishing a Food in Schools Working Group to advise on the extent to which more stringent nutritional standards are introduced.

In Northern Ireland, food-based standards have been piloted across primary and post-primary school meals during the past 12 months. These are currently being evaluated and revised in line with developments across the rest of the UK. To support this process, a programme of work to set target nutrient specifications for manufactured foods used in school meals, which will help caterers meet tougher school meal standards, was announced in February. The Food Standards Agency is developing these new target specifications.

These draft target nutrient specifications are, by definition, concerned with the nutrient profile of manufactured foods used in school meals and not other aspects of quality or frequency of use. These are, or will be, considered separately as part of the development of national standards for school meals.

Separate, but related, work is ongoing to develop target salt levels for key product categories that contribute most to salt intakes and where reductions in salt content are possible. The salt targets will apply to the specified product categories in whatever form they are available to the consumer and are not restricted to foods used in school meals. A separate public consultation on this work will be published shortly with final targets published later in the year.

Consultation on national standards for school meals is planned for autumn 2005. Once these wider standards are agreed we will consider whether further target nutrient specifications should be set for additional categories of manufactured products used in school meals.

UK target nutrient specifications for manufactured foods used in school meals

Draft target nutrient specifications for manufactured foods used in school meals throughout the UK have been developed, based on specifications for manufactured foods used in school meals in Scotland through 'Hungry for Success' and taking into account information on products currently available for use in school meals across the UK. Target specifications are proposed for total fat, saturated fat, total sugar and salt. In addition, target minimum values for protein have been set for certain products to help ensure an adequate protein intake when pupils select vegetarian options. The proposed UK target nutrient specifications are provided below.

We have proposed more stringent targets than those set in 'Hungry for Success', for salt and total fat in a number of product categories because of progress made by the food industry to reduce levels of these nutrients in manufactured foods. Proposed minimum protein contents for vegetarian products are slightly lower than in 'Hungry for Success' recognising that in order to avoid potential allergy problems manufacturers may not wish to use nuts or soya in products intended for use in schools. A fuller account of how the proposed UK target nutrient specifications were developed is provided below.

The proposed targets are designed to help caterers meet standards in place or being developed for school meals in the four UK countries. They will help caterers provide foods which are likely to help meet recommended intakes for children and young people. Some products in almost every category already meet the standard and the targets are intended to encourage manufacturers to reformulate products which do not yet do so. The range of products meeting the targets is expected to increase with time.

Caterers using manufactured foods procured for use in school meals meeting these proposed target nutrient specifications will be more likely to meet nutrient intake targets. This is demonstrated by a study modelling the impact of key 'Hungry for Success' specifications on nutrient intake of pupils using the data from secondary school meals in England . This resulted in a 16% reduction in energy intake (100 kcal), 27% reduction in fat, 23% reduction in saturates, 18% reduction in sodium and a 37% reduction in NMES intake.

The new outcomes calculated were close to the current recommendations for intakes of fat and saturates and below the current recommendations for intakes of sodium and non-milk extrinsic sugars. A summary of the results of this work is provided below.

The proposed target specifications in this consultation are, in some cases, more stringent and would, therefore, be expected to result in further improvements in nutrient intake balance for children and young people from school meals.

A draft Regulatory Impact Assessment (RIA) is provided below. This seeks comments on a number of points in order to make a more informed assessment of the effect of these proposals.

The draft RIA proposes that target nutrient specifications be introduced by a 'voluntary' approach. We envisage a combination of voluntary action to reformulate products by leading suppliers and encouragement for schools to procure products meeting the specifications. With the setting of voluntary targets it is anticipated that there should be no significant additional costs for the food industry associated with reformulation of products as it is expected that this can be carried out as a part of a business's normal reformulation cycle. We welcome stakeholder views on this.

There may be some costs to Government from monitoring and evaluating changes in salt, sugar and fat content of food (but again with a voluntary approach these will be lower as there will be no enforcement costs). Comments from stakeholders to assist in refining estimated costs are sought. Set against these costs are significant contributions to improving the nutritional content of school meals and the overall balance of children's diets, making a positive contribution to the current and future health of schoolchildren throughout the UK.

We would welcome any comments you may have on the target nutrient specifications. The table of specifications therein contains a column entitled 'your comments' where you can enter comments on individual targets set. There is also a separate sheet for general comments for those who do not wish to comment on specific targets. We would particularly like to seek your views on:

• Whether the proposed target nutrient specifications cover the appropriate nutrients and are sufficiently stringent to deliver real nutritional benefits, and if not, why not
• Whether the proposed target nutrient specifications are realistic and achievable andm if not, why not.
• The impact on businesses of modifying products to meet these target nutrient specifications. For example any additional costs, including those relating to research and product development and, any potential technical difficulties.
• The target nutrient specifications for manufactured foods proposed in this consultation are set for foods 'as served/consumed' (i.e. when prepared in accordance with the manufacturer's recommendations) so that they can be used to estimate nutrient intake. An earlier exercise to estimate the range and nutrient content of products already available gathered a wide range of information from the food industry, and this was used in developing these draft specifications. It is recognised that much of the information supplied was for products 'as sold' (i.e. before preparation and cooking). Comments on the detail of the specifications on an 'as served' basis are welcome, as well as on this general approach to setting standards for products 'as served'.

Queries

Enquiries relating to the contents of this consultation can be sent to the above address.

This consultation has been prepared in accordance with the HM Government Code of Practice on Consultation, which states that a consultation must follow better regulation best practice, including carrying out an Impact Assessment (Regulatory Impact Assessment in Scotland). The assessment is included in the consultation documents.

We are interested in what you thought of this consultation and would therefore welcome your general feedback on both the consultation package and overall consultation process. If you would like to assist us to improve the quality of future consultations, please feel free to share your thoughts with us by using the consultation feedback questionnaire.

Consultation feedback questionnaire (Word)

Consultation feedback questionnaire (pdf)

In accordance with the FSA principle of openness our Information Centre at Aviation House will hold a copy of the completed consultation. The FSA will publish a summary of responses, which may include personal data, such as your full name. Disclosure of any other personal data would be made only upon request for the full consultation responses. If you do not want this information to be released, please complete and return the Publication of Personal Data Form. Return of this form does not mean that we will treat your response to the consultation as confidential, just your personal data.

Data protection form (Word)

Data protection form (pdf)

Within three months of a consultation ending we aim to publish a summary of responses received and provide a link to it from this page.

If, after three months, the summary is still not showing, please contact the person who was responsible for the original consultation. Alternatively, you can contact the FSA Consultation Co-ordinator by email: consultationcoordinator@foodstandards.gsi.gov.uk