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Heart Foundation investigating “healthy” alternatives

The National Heart Foundation of Australia will be placing a spotlight on hidden salts and fats in “healthy” food alternatives through an investigation to keep outlets accountable.

“The challenge to improve our food supply has never been greater and we’ve never been more determined to help improve the food Australians eat,” National chief executive Lyn Roberts said.

“Today we’re announcing plans to undertake special investigations into the food available when eating out, because we think you have the right to know how much saturated fat is in your morning muffin and how much hidden salt is in your sandwich.

“We will make this information publicly available through quarterly audits on the foods Australians eat most often. We’ll turn the spotlight onto those establishments that promote themselves as providing healthy food to help keep them accountable to the community.”

It has announced it will be ending its Tick licensing program on takeaway food, but Roberts reassured shoppers that the Tick retail program in supermarkets will remain unchanged.

“The Heart Foundation will never move away from its strong commitment for healthier food to be available for all Australians”.

The Heart Foundation confirmed it will be continuing to work with the Food and Health Dialogue, an Australian Government initiative that brings together government, industry and public health groups to set targets for food companies to reduce salt and saturated fat, and increase the fibre, wholegrain, fruit and vegetable content of commonly consumed foods.

Yesterday it was revealed Australian bread manufacturers are not doing enough to reduce the salt content in their products, despite a nation-wide standard set out in 2007.

“As part of that process, we’ll be calling on takeaway food chains to reduce the salt in
bread used in their meals across Australia,” Roberts said of the Dialogue.

The Heart Foundation is calling for a national approach to provide details information on menus.

“We’re proud of the work we’ve done and there are many important lessons from the five years we have operated the Tick in restaurants and takeaway stores,” Roberts said.

“We knew working in this area would be a bold move – and it was – but our work behind the scenes has seen massive improvements across the food supply chain, including healthier oils now being used in many takeaway and catering food outlets.”

“This even led to a change in the type of canola grown by Australian farmers – which has helped ensure that healthier ingredients are available to the entire food industry.

“However, it’s time for us to broaden our efforts and work towards changes across the
takeaway and catering sector.

The task of improving the health and wellness of Australians, with one in four overweight or obese, will not be an easy one.

“Our challenge is enormous, 2.7million Australians eat fast food every day,” Roberts said.

“We must improve the way Australians eat urgently.

“One in five grocery buyers in Australia always have an item in their trolley with the Tick and more than half of them say they’d prefer a product with the Tick rather than a similar product without the Tick.”

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