FSAI recommends introduction of calorie menu labelling scheme
04/07/2012 - 12:45:45Restaurants are being asked to comply with new voluntary regulations which would see calories displayed on menus.
The Food Safety Authority has [url=http://www.fsai.ie/news_centre/press_releases/calories_on_menus_report/04072012.html]published a report[/url] which found that 96% of consumers would like to be able to count their calories whilst out for a meal.
The FSAI’s consultation, which was undertaken in February 2012, called for opinions on calorie on menu labelling and received over 3,300 submissions from consumers, food businesses, health professionals and other interested parties.
Almost 80% of responses (over 2,600) were from consumers.
"When food and drinks are prepared outside the home, the consumer does not know what ingredients are used and how they are prepared, so calorie menu labelling is vital if people are to make more informed choices about what they eatj," said Dr Mary Flynn, Chief Specialist Public Health Nutrition, FSAI.
"When you consider that almost a quarter of the calorie intake of Irish adults under the age of 65 is consumed outside the home, the food service sector can potentially play a very positive role in promoting more health-conscious and informed food choices among consumers."
Health Minister DrJames Reilly has said the scheme is necessary to tackle obesity, and if restaurants fail to comply, he will make it mandatory.
However, CEO of the Restaurant Association of Ireland Adrian Cummins has expressed concerns saying the cost of implementing the scheme will be around €5,000 a year - and that could put jobs under threat.
Meanwhile president of the Irish Hotels Federation Michael Vaughan warned that the adoption of an indiscriminate, ‘one size fits all’ approach to mandatory calorie labelling would be entirely inappropriate for hotels and guesthouses, many of whose menus change on a daily basis.
"Such a system would be unworkable for many of our members given the prohibitive costs involved in determining calorie content for menus that are constantly changing from day to day," Mr Vaughan said.