tag:theconversation.com,2011:/us/topics/healthy-fast-food-32597/articleshealthy fast food – The Conversation2019-10-02T04:15:15Ztag:theconversation.com,2011:article/1244292019-10-02T04:15:15Z2019-10-02T04:15:15ZWhat’s made of legumes but sizzles on the barbie like beef? Australia’s new high-tech meat alternative<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/295148/original/file-20191002-101494-ac111w.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">A punter photographs a spread of v2food, which is working to provide a wholly Australian plant-based alternative to meat.</span> <span class="attribution"><span class="source">Tara Pereira</span></span></figcaption></figure><p>There is a revolution taking place in burger joints and supermarkets across Australia. Plant products that taste and behave like meat are increasingly making their way onto the plates of consumers as concern grows over the environmental impact of food production.</p>
<p>This week the <a href="https://v2food.com/nutrition">CSIRO launched its plant-based meat venture, v2food</a>. Over the next year we plan to develop a range of wholly Australian meat alternatives to be sold in supermarkets and restaurants across the country. The products include protein from legumes, fibre from plants, and oils from sunflower and coconut.</p>
<p>Hungry Jack’s will be the first major fast food chain to stock our product. Meat-free burger patties will soon be available in their stores. Our mince will also be available in grocery stores in the near future.</p>
<p>The venture is a partnership between CSIRO, Main Sequence Ventures (CSIRO’s investment fund) and food retailer Competitive Foods Australia.</p>
<p>The alternative protein market is already worth billions of dollars in the United States. A recent CSIRO analysis of <a href="https://theconversation.com/health-and-sustainability-market-could-be-worth-25-billion-to-australian-producers-by-2030-122856">emerging food trends</a> in Australia estimated the revenue from domestic consumption and exports of plant-based protein products could be A$6.6 billion in 2030.</p>
<figure class="align-center ">
<img alt="" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/295149/original/file-20191002-101499-l7eqbh.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/295149/original/file-20191002-101499-l7eqbh.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=566&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/295149/original/file-20191002-101499-l7eqbh.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=566&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/295149/original/file-20191002-101499-l7eqbh.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=566&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/295149/original/file-20191002-101499-l7eqbh.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=711&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/295149/original/file-20191002-101499-l7eqbh.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=711&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/295149/original/file-20191002-101499-l7eqbh.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=711&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">Hungry Jack’s will soon offer a plant-based burger patty alongside traditional meat options.</span>
<span class="attribution"><span class="source">Dave Hunt/AAP</span></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<h2>There’s a science to getting a meaty taste from plants</h2>
<p>v2food’s plant-based meat alternatives are not solely designed for vegans. Meat-eaters are a key target, particularly those who are concerned about the impact of food production on the environment.</p>
<p>Building a burger out of plants that will appeal to a meat-eater is no simple task. The product not only has to have the texture of meat but also the flavour, including that chargrilled taste, and should perhaps even “bleed” like meat cooked just right on the barbecue.</p>
<hr>
<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/is-vegetarianism-healthier-we-asked-five-experts-112133">Is vegetarianism healthier? We asked five experts</a>
</strong>
</em>
</p>
<hr>
<p>It took US companies Beyond Meat and Impossible Foods <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com.au/how-a-startup-that-makes-fake-meat-from-plants-caught-the-attention-of-bill-gates-and-the-founders-of-twitter-2015-7?r=US&IR=T">several years</a> to bring a “beef” product onto the market. CSIRO’s specialists in food texture and flavour science achieved this in eight months.</p>
<figure class="align-right ">
<img alt="" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/295151/original/file-20191002-101465-1s09jgs.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=237&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/295151/original/file-20191002-101465-1s09jgs.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=899&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/295151/original/file-20191002-101465-1s09jgs.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=899&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/295151/original/file-20191002-101465-1s09jgs.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=899&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/295151/original/file-20191002-101465-1s09jgs.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=1129&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/295151/original/file-20191002-101465-1s09jgs.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=1129&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/295151/original/file-20191002-101465-1s09jgs.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=1129&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">v2food’s mini hotdogs and sliders. CSIRO food scientists and nutritionists helped develop the products.</span>
<span class="attribution"><span class="source">Tara Pereira</span></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>Known as sculptured food, the plant-based meat alternatives we’re working on comprise different ratios of plant proteins combined with carbohydrates from varying sources.</p>
<p>By studying the interactions of the ingredients at a molecular level and analysing the textures resulting from different processing techniques, it has been possible to develop products with the most appropriate texture, structure and bite – from soft to fibrous to cartilaginous.</p>
<p>Through formulation and processing, we coaxed proteins and carbohydrates to interact in different ways to form different textures.</p>
<p>We have also ensured the products are nutritious by introducing components such as pre-biotic fibres for a healthy gut, omega-3 plant-based or algal oils and micronutrients that provide extra vitamins and minerals.</p>
<h2>More sustainable than meat</h2>
<p><a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/s41586-018-0594-0.epdf?referrer_access_token=6tNIJCcXMazZlzAfgRi71dRgN0jAjWel9jnR3ZoTv0M2ZckU8PFAjFp2beHrcOXhMGtzE8nzrDqubMx9ONW9ULSbbQ_WUw8pvU9o1FaesDGn7Yyqm7rBefxpvX03Wpn9fVoWCmNUMPUJaksaTZag7YHqVuReazO6_biSFBudf0fo2_DKzyNTaIKyTK4Iuxp7tpl7fPwJrWv85CogEUuSnsQ9AdQHF4LkpZHfMiYl558qP0i6uGuTstvERNFrGr3v_E1KpZK84cX4qaGEUh5_IiX_HQ7lH9hoEbY6vHOB4BhDSK-n2FHz83Vc36GCOVaO&tracking_referrer=www.theguardian.com">Meat production’s environmental impact</a> has been the main driving force behind the development of plant-based protein alternatives. It contributes to climate change through the greenhouse gases emitted by livestock and deforestation to create grazing land.</p>
<p>As we developed the product we assessed the environmental impacts of different ingredients and made the most environmentally friendly choices. </p>
<hr>
<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/five-ways-the-meat-on-your-plate-is-killing-the-planet-76128">Five ways the meat on your plate is killing the planet</a>
</strong>
</em>
</p>
<hr>
<p>We still have a way to go in reducing v2food’s environmental profile. For example, the processing technology required to make the meat alternatives doesn’t yet exist in Australia, so we sourced a soy protein from offshore and combined this with other natural ingredients rich in carbohydrates.</p>
<p>Within the next year, v2food will have the equipment to process local ingredients, which will go a long way towards providing a more sustainable alternative.</p>
<figure class="align-center ">
<img alt="" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/295153/original/file-20191002-101474-1a1kzb0.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/295153/original/file-20191002-101474-1a1kzb0.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=399&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/295153/original/file-20191002-101474-1a1kzb0.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=399&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/295153/original/file-20191002-101474-1a1kzb0.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=399&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/295153/original/file-20191002-101474-1a1kzb0.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=502&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/295153/original/file-20191002-101474-1a1kzb0.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=502&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/295153/original/file-20191002-101474-1a1kzb0.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=502&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">Meat on display at a Woolworths supermarket in Everton Park, Brisbane. The v2food venture is catering to meat eaters concerned about the environmental impact of food production.</span>
<span class="attribution"><span class="source">Dan Peled/AAP</span></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>Plant-based products we’re working on, such as the burger patty, have less fat than their meat counterparts sold in fast food chains - in particular less saturated fat. They contain similar amounts of protein and have the added bonus of fibre, which is not found in animal protein and is inadequate in the diet of most Australians.</p>
<p>There is still room for improvement and nutritionists and food technologists are working on ways to make v2food products healthier and more nutritious - for example, bringing down the salt content.</p>
<p>Animal protein sources including red meat, poultry and seafood remain important components of a healthy diet in Australia because they provide nutrients that contribute to a healthy diet, including high-quality protein, iron, zinc, vitamin B12 and healthy omega-3 fats.</p>
<p>In Australia, chicken and red meat comprise 70 per cent of both lean meats and their alternatives. So incorporating plant-based meat alternatives can increase the diversity of protein sources in our diet.</p>
<h2>What does this mean for Australian agriculture?</h2>
<p>For now, v2food is calling its product “meat made from plants”. There are calls - in Australia and abroad - to limit the use of terms such as <a href="https://www.abc.net.au/news/2019-09-15/push-to-ban-milk-meat-seafood-labels-on-plant-based-produce/11513754">meat, milk and seafood</a> to animal-derived products. However, global protein demand is expected to grow to such an extent that all protein producers, whether they be cattle farmers or legume growers, will be called on to fill the gap. </p>
<figure class="align-right ">
<img alt="" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/295156/original/file-20191002-101465-1omxnv6.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=237&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/295156/original/file-20191002-101465-1omxnv6.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=900&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/295156/original/file-20191002-101465-1omxnv6.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=900&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/295156/original/file-20191002-101465-1omxnv6.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=900&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/295156/original/file-20191002-101465-1omxnv6.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=1131&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/295156/original/file-20191002-101465-1omxnv6.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=1131&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/295156/original/file-20191002-101465-1omxnv6.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=1131&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">Currant and mint kofta by v2food.</span>
<span class="attribution"><span class="source">Tara Pereira</span></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>In the US, demand for Canadian yellow peas - a main ingredient in plant-based protein products - is outstripping supply. We’re mapping out what the supply chain might look like for plant-based proteins in Australia and the opportunities for plant breeders, growers and producers. Once we have the required processing capability within Australia, this will open the door to higher value uses of legumes.</p>
<p>By harnessing innovation across science disciplines of food, agriculture, sustainability and nutrition, we can achieve a healthy, sustainable and locally grown and produced product.</p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/124429/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>The authors do not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and have disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.</span></em></p>Australian supermarkets and fast food chains will soon be stocking a homegrown meat alternative that tastes and feels like meat and even sizzles on the barbecue.Martin Cole, Deputy Director of Agriculture and Food, CSIRO, CSIROMary Ann Augustin, Chief Research Scientist, CSIRO Agriculture & Food, CSIROLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/791542017-06-14T02:21:54Z2017-06-14T02:21:54ZDo poor people eat more junk food than wealthier Americans?<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/173655/original/file-20170613-30093-1bz5vct.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">Billionaire Warren Buffett says he drinks five Cokes a day.</span> <span class="attribution"><span class="source">AP Photo/Nati Harnik</span></span></figcaption></figure><p>Eating fast food is frequently blamed for damaging our health. </p>
<p>As nutrition experts point out, it is <a href="https://www.nature.com/ijo/journal/v31/n6/full/0803616a.html">not</a> the <a href="https://www.ers.usda.gov/publications/pub-details/?pubid=43699">healthiest</a> type of meal since it is typically high in fat and salt. More widely, it’s <a href="http://www.news-medical.net/health/Obesity-and-Fast-Food.aspx">seen as a key factor</a> in the growing obesity epidemic in the U.S. and throughout the world. </p>
<p>Because it’s considered relatively inexpensive, there’s an assumption that poor people eat more fast food than other socioeconomic groups – which has convinced some local governments to <a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2011/01/16/us/16fastfood.html?mcubz=0">try to limit their access</a>. Food journalist <a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2011/09/25/opinion/sunday/is-junk-food-really-cheaper.html">Mark Bittman</a> sums up the sentiment succinctly: </p>
<blockquote>
<p>“The ‘fact’ that junk food is cheaper than real food has become a reflexive part of how we explain why so many Americans are overweight, particularly those with lower incomes.”</p>
</blockquote>
<p>Our recently <a href="http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1570677X16300363">published research</a> examined this assumption by looking at who eats fast food using a large sample of random Americans. What we found surprised us: Poor people were actually less likely to eat fast food – and do so less frequently – than those in the middle class, and only a little more likely than the rich.</p>
<p>In other words, the guilty pleasure of enjoying a McDonald’s hamburger, Kentucky Fried Chicken popcorn nuggets or Taco Bell burrito is shared across the income spectrum, from rich to poor, with an overwhelming majority of every group reporting having indulged at least once over a nonconsecutive three-week period. </p>
<h2>A diet of Cokes and Oreos</h2>
<p>In retrospect, the fact that everyone eats fast food perhaps should not be that surprising. </p>
<p>There are rich and famous people, including President <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2016/08/09/us/politics/donald-trump-diet.html">Donald Trump</a>, who are also famous for their <a href="http://www.vanityfair.com/news/2016/02/mind-boggling-reason-donald-trump-loves-mcdonalds">love of fast food</a>. Trump even made a <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yr9LwiSayWU">commercial for McDonald’s</a> in 2002 extolling the virtues of their hamburgers. Warren Buffett, one of the world’s richest people, says he “eats like a 6-year-old,” <a href="https://finance.yahoo.com/news/warren-buffett-berkshire-hathaway-sweet-tooth-dairy-queen-coca-cola-see-s-candies-201539716.html">meaning lots of Oreos and Cokes</a> every day (he <a href="http://www.seattletimes.com/business/warren-buffettis-bad-for-your-health/">invests like one too</a>). </p>
<figure>
<iframe width="440" height="260" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/yr9LwiSayWU?wmode=transparent&start=0" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen=""></iframe>
</figure>
<p>What we learned from our research is that we all have a soft spot for fast food. We analyzed a <a href="https://www.bls.gov/nls/">cross-section of the youngest members of the baby boom generation</a> – Americans born from 1957 to 1964 – from all walks of life who have been interviewed regularly since 1979. Respondents were asked about fast-food consumption in the years 2008, 2010 and 2012 – when they were in their 40’s and 50’s. Specifically, interviewers posed the following question: </p>
<blockquote>
<p>“In the past seven days, how many times did you eat food from a fast-food restaurant such as McDonald’s, Kentucky Fried Chicken, Pizza Hut or Taco Bell?”</p>
</blockquote>
<p>Overall, 79 percent of respondents said they ate fast food at least once during the three weeks. Breaking it down by income deciles (groups of 10 percent of aggregate household income) did not show big differences. Among the highest 10th of earners, about 75 percent reported eating fast food at least once in the period, compared with 81 percent for the poorest. Earners in the middle were the biggest fans of fast food, at about 85 percent. </p>
<p></p><hr><p></p>
<p><iframe id="lgFsY" class="tc-infographic-datawrapper" src="https://datawrapper.dwcdn.net/lgFsY/7/" height="400px" width="100%" style="border: none" frameborder="0"></iframe></p>
<p></p><hr><p></p>
<p>The data also show middle earners are more likely to eat fast food frequently, averaging a little over four meals during the three weeks, compared with three for the richest and 3.7 for the poorest. </p>
<p></p><hr><p></p>
<p><iframe id="KVI2Y" class="tc-infographic-datawrapper" src="https://datawrapper.dwcdn.net/KVI2Y/4/" height="400px" width="100%" style="border: none" frameborder="0"></iframe></p>
<p></p><hr><p></p>
<p>Because the data occurred over a four-year period, we were also able to examine whether dramatic changes in wealth or income altered individuals’ eating habits. The data showed becoming richer or poorer didn’t have much effect at all on how often people ate fast food. </p>
<h2>Regulating fast food</h2>
<p>These results suggest focusing on preventing poor people from having access to fast food may be misguided. </p>
<p>For example, Los Angeles in 2008 <a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2011/01/16/us/16fastfood.html?mcubz=0">banned new freestanding fast food restaurants</a> from opening in the poor neighborhoods of South L.A. The given reason for the ban was because “fast-food businesses in low-income areas, particularly along the Southeast Los Angeles commercial corridors, intensifies socio-economic problems in the neighborhoods, and creates serious public health problems.”</p>
<p>Research suggests <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/25779774">this ban did not work</a> since obesity rates went up after the ban compared to other neighborhoods where fast food had no restrictions. This seems to pour cold water on <a href="https://www.cdc.gov/phlp/winnable/zoning_obesity.html">other efforts</a> to solve obesity problems by <a href="http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/1576136/Government-may-ban-fast-food-near-schools.html">regulating the location</a> of fast-food restaurants. </p>
<h2>Not all that cheap</h2>
<p>Another problem with the stereotype about poor people and fast food is that by and large it’s not actually that cheap, in absolute monetary terms. </p>
<p>The typical cost per meal at a fast-food restaurant – which the U.S. Census calls limited service – is <a href="https://factfinder.census.gov/faces/tableservices/jsf/pages/productview.xhtml?pid=ECN_2012_US_72SXSB02&prodType=table">over US$8</a> based on the average of all limited service places. <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/cost-to-eat-at-every-major-fast-food-chain-2015-9">Fast food is cheap only in comparison</a> to eating in a full-service restaurant, with the average cost totals about US$15 on average.</p>
<p>Moreover, $8 is a lot for a family living under the U.S. poverty line, which for a family of two is a <a href="https://aspe.hhs.gov/poverty-guidelines">bit above $16,000</a>, or about $44 per day. It is doubtful a poor family of two would be able to regularly spend more than a third of its daily income eating fast food.</p>
<h2>The lure of fast food</h2>
<p>If politicians really want to improve the health of the poor, limiting fast-food restaurants in low-income neighborhoods is probably not the way to go. </p>
<p>So what are some alternative solutions? </p>
<p>We found that people who said they checked ingredients before eating new foods had lower fast-food intake. This suggests that making it easier for Americans to learn what is in their food could help sway consumers away from fast food and toward healthier eating options. </p>
<p>Another finding was that working more hours raises fast-food consumption, regardless of income level. People eat it because it’s fast and convenient. This suggests policies that make nutritious foods more readily available, quickly, could help offset the lure of fast food. For example, reducing the red tape for approving food trucks that serve meals containing fresh fruits and vegetables could promote healthier, convenient eating. </p>
<p>Our goal is not to be fast-food cheerleaders. We do not doubt that a diet high in fast food is unhealthy. We just doubt, based on our data, that the poor eat fast food more than anyone else.</p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/79154/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>The authors do not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organization that would benefit from this article, and have disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.</span></em></p>There’s an assumption that the poor eat more unhealthy fast food because it’s relatively cheap, leading some governments to try limit their access. Two researchers tested that assumption.Jay L. Zagorsky, Economist and Research Scientist, The Ohio State UniversityPatricia Smith, Professor of Economics, University of MichiganLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/674612016-10-28T01:18:27Z2016-10-28T01:18:27Z‘Healthy’ fast food chains not living up to their claims<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/142619/original/image-20161021-1796-1vasr7d.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">So-called 'healthier' fast food chains are misleading consumers with claims their foods are lower in salt, sugar and fat than their traditional fast food counterparts. </span> <span class="attribution"><span class="source">from www.shutterstock.com.au</span></span></figcaption></figure><p>Each month, 11.5 million Australians consume <a href="http://emma.com.au/emma-out-of-home-dining-report-2/#.V_8Ovfl95pg">fast food</a>. Alongside traditional burger, fried chicken and pizza chains, new chains are positioning themselves as healthier alternatives to the typical, energy-, saturated fat-, sugar- and salt-laden meals on offer at traditional chains.</p>
<p>We know the fast food environment influences our food choices. Promotions and marketing on labels and websites influence our decisions about the foods we buy. Many chains are now using claims about nutrient content and health benefits on their websites to create a marketing edge and perhaps make us feel less guilty about our next fast food purchase.</p>
<p>The <a href="http://www.comlaw.gov.au/Series/F2015L00394">Australia New Zealand Food Standards Code</a> defines nutrition content claims as those that state the presence or absence of a nutrient, for example, “contains calcium”. Foods with these claims must meet the minimum (or maximum) quantities for the nutrient in the claim, called the qualifying criteria. </p>
<p>Health claims are those that relate to a food-health relationship, such as “contains calcium for healthy bones”. In addition to containing the minimum/maximum quantities of the nutrient, foods carrying these claims must also meet the <a href="http://www.foodstandards.gov.au/industry/labelling/pages/nutrientprofilingcalculator/Default.aspx">Nutrient Profiling Scoring Criteria</a>, meaning they are healthier foods based on their energy, saturated fat, sugars, sodium, protein, fibre and fruit, vegetable, nut and legume content.</p>
<p>Previously, there has been close scrutiny of grocery foods carrying these sorts of claims, and whether they comply with the requirements of the code. However, any food sold in Australia is subject to this code, and there has been no scrutiny of the claims being made by fast food outlets.</p>
<p>We noticed fast food chains were increasingly using claims on their websites, and <a href="https://www.cambridge.org/core/journals/public-health-nutrition/article/parents-responses-to-nutrient-claims-and-sports-celebrity-endorsements-on-energy-dense-and-nutrient-poor-foods-an-experimental-study/D33CDABA0E172EFB22DC5B64EE8B3F4D">given how influential</a> claims are on food choice, we decided to investigate these claims being made by chains.</p>
<h2>How honest are fast food chains in their claims?</h2>
<p>In 2015, <a href="https://www.cambridge.org/core/journals/public-health-nutrition/article/health-and-nutrition-content-claims-on-australian-fast-food-websites/D4DB7F7FA4E99FB40DBF51653EC50AC5">we assessed the claims</a> fast food chains were making on their websites to promote the nutritional value of their foods. </p>
<p>We found more than 40% of menu items being marketed using claims may not have complied with the requirements of the code. These foods did not meet the qualifying criteria set out in the code, meaning consumers could believe these foods are healthier than they actually are.</p>
<p>The chains that fared worst in our study were those positioning themselves as “healthier” – such as a popular juice chain and a popular salad chain (the authors have chosen not to publish the names of the chains). </p>
<p>For example, a Chipotle Pulled Pork Wrap from the salad chain claimed to be low in energy and salt, despite containing more than four times the permitted amount of energy and sodium per 100g. </p>
<p>This product has a similar amount of energy per serve (2051kJ) as a Big Mac (2060kJ), and contained a whopping 1552mg sodium per serve - two-thirds of an adult’s upper daily sodium intake.</p>
<p>Another example is Green Tea Mango Mantra from the juice chain, that supposedly has immunity-boosting powers, despite not meeting the requirements of the Nutrient Profiling Scoring Criteria and containing between 68-91g sugars per serve – that’s 17-23 teaspoons.</p>
<p>These sorts of claims lull us into a false sense of security that we’re choosing a healthier fast food. Eat these foods too often, and you’ll probably be consuming more kilojoules, fats, and sugars, which could contribute to weight gain.</p>
<p>But it’s not all bad news. Since the study was conducted, several of the offending chains have removed claims that may not have complied. This is because the study was conducted during the phase-in period of the standard on nutrition content and health claims, with this standard becoming mandatory on 18th January 2016. So it’s working to a degree, but many remaining claims still may not comply.</p>
<p>With the “eating-to-go” habit here to stay, healthier fast food chains have an important role to play in ensuring healthy food options are available. They also have a responsibility to ensure the correct nutritional information accompanies them. </p>
<p>The study highlights the need for closer monitoring and enforcement of the Food Standards Code by the state food agencies. Whether fast food chains are deliberately flaunting the code, or have not been adequately educated on the use of claims and the requirements for making them is hard to say.</p>
<p>Regardless, stronger enforcement will ensure customers are able to make healthier fast food choices. In the meantime, relying on the claims is not a good way of making these choices.</p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/67461/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>Lyndal Wellard's PhD is funded by an Australian Research Council Linkage Grant. </span></em></p><p class="fine-print"><em><span>Kathy Chapman has received funding from Ministry of Health, Cancer Institute NSW and been a partner investigator on ARC linkage Grant and NHMRC Partnership Grants</span></em></p><p class="fine-print"><em><span>Margaret Allman-Farinelli receives funding from The Australian Research Council, Cancer Council NSW, Meat and Livestock Australia. </span></em></p>With the “eating-to-go” habit here to stay, healthier fast food chains have an important role to play in ensuring healthy food options are available.Lyndal Wellard-Cole, PhD Student in Nutrition and Dietetics and Senior Nutrition Project Officer at Cancer Council NSW, University of SydneyKathy Chapman, Director of Cancer Programs, Cancer Council NSW; PhD Candidate in Nutrition & Dietetics, University of SydneyMargaret Allman-Farinelli, Associate Professor in Nutrition and Dietetics, University of SydneyLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.