British Hospitality Association "surprised" at food regulator's negative comments

The British Hospitality Association (BHA) has defended businesses in the hospitality sector after the Food Standards Agency (FSA) accused the industry of not doing enough to encourage healthy eating.

Dr Clair Baynton, the head of nutrition at the FSA, told a Westminster Food & Nutrition Forum: "Eating out influences consumer preferences and the industry is not doing enough to make the food it serves healthier."

Miles Quest, spokesperson for the BHA, which is a trade association for restaurants, hotels and caterers, told BAD News: "I'm very surprised at the negative comments being made about the industry. The industry is certainly taking healthy eating seriously, with healthy eating dishes widely available on almost every menu in every sector, but it cannot move ahead of public opinion and accepted taste."

The FSA is currently consulting on the introduction of voluntary calorie labelling at the point of sale in catering businesses. The consultation is looking for views on how such a system would be implemented and closes on 11 March.

However, Mr Quest added that measures designed to encourage healthy eating, such as calorie listings on menus, are easier for some outlets than others.

"Calorie counts are easier to provide in catering outlets providing standard dishes prepared with standard recipes," he said. "Unfortunately, many catering outlets offer different dishes which are made up every day, with different portion sizes, and these would have to be individually analysed every day. The time that this would take in a busy kitchen is something that has not yet been resolved; nor has the cost involved in reaching this analysis."

Read more on the FSA's comments at BigHospitality.com.

More information on the calorie labelling consultation is available on the FSA website.

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