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Listen to this siteFriday 22 December 2006
This research project aims to investigate the impact of target nutrient specifications on the food supplied to the education sector and across other public sector institutions.
Study Duration : September 2005 to April 2006
The Scottish Executive aims to improve the Scottish diet, particularly of schoolchildren through improving the standards of Scottish school meals as outlined in Hungry for Success: A Whole School Approach to School Meals in Scotland (HfS) (Scottish Executive 2002). It sets national nutrient standards for school meals and describes an operational framework, which is set in the context of health promoting schools and a whole-school approach to food and health. Target nutrient specifications for manufactured products (TNSMP) (Food Standards Agency Scotland 2004) were developed in Scotland to assist purchasers and caterers with meeting the Scottish Nutrient Standards for School Lunches as set out in Hungry for Success.
Target maximum values have been set for total fat, saturated fat, sodium and total sugar. In addition, a minimum protein specification has been set for certain savoury products to ensure that the vegetarian/vegan menu will also meet the nutrient standards.
In keeping with the desire of the Scottish Executive to improve the diet of adults as well as schoolchildren, they have published a commitment to ensure adequate nutritional standards in public sector organisations such as prisons, hospitals and care homes. The Food Standards Agency Scotland (FSAS) shares this commitment to 'encourage the public sector to provide healthy food in schools, hospitals and other institutions' (FSA 2005).
In order to do this most effectively, FSA Scotland wish to learn from the experience of Local Authority food purchasing and provision services who are implementing Hungry for Success in the education sector in Scotland
FSA Scotland commissioned research to;
The research found that some manufactured products supplied to schools in Scotland have improved nutrient profiles (based on suppliers� assertions) and that these improvements can be linked directly to the target nutrient specifications for manufactured products for school meals.
The improved manufactured products that were being supplied included existing products not previously supplied to schools or ones that had been redeveloped to meet the specifications, as well as newly developed products. The impetus to develop or source products came in different ways. Local authorities and purchasing consortia had been directly involved in discussions with suppliers to develop or reformulate products to meet reduced sodium and fat content specifications. In other cases wholesalers, reacting to demand from purchasers, had encouraged development of new and existing products from their suppliers. Occasionally, suppliers with existing manufactured products that met the nutrient specifications and that were not previously supplied to schools had approached purchasers directly to make them aware of these products. In general, these enterprising suppliers tended to be smaller, often Scottish-based manufacturers.
The research suggests that the target nutrient specifications for manufactured products for school meals developed for Scottish schools have not directly influenced provision in schools out with Scotland to any great extent. The most important indirect influence has been on the development of UK-wide nutrient specifications for school lunches. Further, it appears there has been little influence on public sector provision in Scotland more widely. Where there has been influence it has been mainly incidental.
The findings of the research have confirmed to FSAS that target nutrient specifications for manufactured products have an important role to play within a wider package of improving school food but that more work is needed to encourage the nutrient specifications to be adopted across other public sectors. The research also highlighted the importance of introducing UK - wide target nutrient specifications for manufactured products used in school meals to encourage more change among the larger suppliers of school food.
The final report is available from the Agency's Information Centre. To obtain a copy, please contact the Enquiry Desk, Information Services, Food Standards Agency (tel: 020 7276 8181/8182 or email: infocentre@foodstandards.gsi.gov.uk )
Contact
: For any enquiries concerning this research project, please contact the relevant programme contact or email:
science@foodstandards.gsi.gov.uk
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