LACORS and the FSA work in partnership each year to coordinate a number of food standards related projects where participation by local authorities is voluntary. This approach recognises the importance of identify national and regional trends or issues, as well as allowing councils to understand their local environment.
After consultation with local authorities, LACORS begun the coordination of a project to look at the salt content and consider the information portrayed about salt content on labelling of pre packed food. It was intended that the project was to run at least three years to evaluate progress of key products against the FSA targets for salt reduction. Local authorities began taking samples in May 2005.
Some 60 authorities across the UK have worked co-operatively since the project started in May 2005 to take over 900 samples of food and submit the results to LACORS who have co-ordinated the project and produced the report.
LACORS have now produced an interim report, which includes some interesting findings. The report has already attracted media attention to the work that local authorities are completing in this area.
The full interim report is available here.
The coordinated salt project is an ongoing project and local authorities are strongly encouraged to participate in this work, even if they have not submitted results before. The project has also recently been expanded to include fats and sugars.
The sampling protocol for the ongoing salt survey, now including fats and sugars as optional elements, is available at: http://www.lacors.gov.uk/lacors/ViewDocument.aspx?docID=15863&docType=C
LACORS also runs a number of other food standards coordinated projects each year. The current 2007/8 programme is available through the link below
http://www.lacors.gov.uk/lacors/ViewDocument.aspx?docID=16554&docType=C
LACORS is due to consult with local authorities over the next six weeks to gain project ideas for 2008/9.
Gwyneth Beddoe
Team Leader - Food and Animal Health
020 7665 3861
gwyneth.beddoe@lacors.gov.uk
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