Healthier food on the menu for Malaysia

Star: PUTRAJAYA: Healthier food is on the menu when the Health Ministry introduces a healthy logo for locally manufactured food.
In line with the Healthy Lifestyle campaign, Health Minister Datuk Seri Dr Chua Soi Lek said the logo would be given to products that adhered to the permitted level of sugar, salt and fat set by the ministry.
Ministry’s Food Safety and Quality Division director Dr Abd Rahim Mohamad and the food manufacturing industry are now discussing what the permitted level should be.
Dr Chua said the permitted level would be implemented in six to eight months time and local food manufacturers, including operators of fast food outlets, have agreed to apply for the logo from the ministry.
“They are agreeable because they know they have nothing to lose,” he said adding that consumers have a choice by choosing food carrying the logo.
Dr Chua earlier chaired a meeting with 30 local food manufacturers and multinational companies including Nestle, F&N, Dumex, Dutch Lady, McDonalds and Kentucky Fried Chicken.
He said information on nutrition currently printed on products did not give an accurate level of sugar, salt and fat content.
He said the committee would ensure the taste would not be compromised with lesser use of the three substances.
He said amendments to the food regulation would also be made to allow manufacturers to use words such as “Suitable for Diabetics” on their labels.
Diabetic cases have been increasing, from 6% of Malaysians diagnosed 10 years ago to the present 10%.
By 2020, 12% of the population would be diabetic if nothing is done to remedy the situation.
Dr Chua said Malaysians consumed 125gm of sugar per day when the ideal intake should be only 50gm.
The next phase of the “eat less sugar, salt and fat campaign” would move to hawker food and those sold at school canteens.