Updates

Food Service

  • HEALTHY OPTIONS IN EATING ESTABLISHMENTS: THE PHILIPPINES’ DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH INITIATIVE
    Frances Prescilla L. Cuevas RN MAN, Chief Health Program Officer, National Center for Disease Prevention and Control, Department of Health

    “Action for LIFE: Turning Fast Food into Healthy Food”

    L LIMIT levels of saturated fats, trans-fatty acids, free sugars and salt in existing products; Upgrade quality of fats, sugar, and salt to reformulate product line

    ▪ Lessen the use of oil; shift from animal fat to vegetable oils; shift from saturated & hydrogenated oils to non-hydrogenated oils
    ▪ Reduce free sugars; shift from high-caloric to low-caloric sweeteners
    ▪ Limit salt; any salt should be iodized
    ▪ Avoid “super sizes”; keep portions small

    I INTEGRATE other Healthy Lifestyle (HL) initiatives

    ▪ Develop and implement physical activity programs, e.g. play and exercise areas in outlets and physical activity in parties, club, events
    ▪ Ban smoking in outlets/ Declare as smoke-free establishments

    F FORMULATE new products with better nutritional value

    ▪ Develop affordable, healthy and nutritious food options, preferably whole, fresh, chemical/pesticide-free grains, vegetables, fruits
    ▪ Increase variety of minimally processed vegetable, fruit and grain dishes
    ▪ Provide special food choices for pre-school children, pregnant and lactating women, older persons and those with special needs

    E Educate consumers, especially children

    ▪ Provide adequate and understandable product and nutrition information to keep consumers informed on healthy food choices, e.g., in menus, food labels, and in promotional and merchandising materials

    Nutrition Study Group

    The role of the nutrition professional has become increasingly important in today's restaurant and foodservice industry. Full-time corporate dietitians are now the norm at many restaurant companies.

    The U.S. National Restaurant Association's new Nutrition Study Group will meet at least once a year, providing informal, open and flexible forums where foodservice executives can discuss pertinent issues, benchmark company programs against industry norms, provide non-binding advice to the National Restaurant Association on a wide range of technical issues, and get updated on topics of concern.

    The Nutrition Study Group welcomes restaurant-industry professionals in a range of fields. Participation is open to registered dietitians, as well as professionals who work on nutrition-related issues, including quality assurance, research and development, and communications.

    A meeting was scheduled last July 16 through July 18 in Monterey, California.

    www.restaurant.org.com