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To: Food Labeling Standards UK - [email protected]

Be bold about sugar!

Declare the addition of SUGAR in bold font at the list of ingredients in processed foods, packed meals and menus from restaurants and other eateries.

Linked to diabetes, heart disease, and cancer, sugar needs to be disclosed more openly so that people can make informed choices about their food.

List of sugar names (nonexhaustive) that ought to be in bold:
Sugar, cane sugar, moscovado sugar, demerara sugar, beet sugar, caster sugar, rapadura sugar, caramel, treacle, golden syrup, glucose, sucrose, dextrose, dextran, maltodextrin, isoglucose, levulose, fructose, xylitol, stevia, maple syrup, honey, rice syrup, barley malt, corn syrup, molasses, coconut nectar, fruit extracts, carob extract, buttercream, cane juice crystals, sweeteners, aspartame, acesulphame, maltitol, sucralose, saccharin, ethyl maltol, diastatic malt, etc.

Why is this important?

Sugar Research Foundation "shifting the blame to fat" for illnesses such as CHD:
https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamainternalmedicine/article-abstract/2548255
Sugar contributing to Cancer:
https://www.nature.com/articles/s41467-017-01019-z

With rising concerns of health decline and a National Health Service in crisis, the best measure is to arm with responsible, aware and affordable choices for the general population.

Low sugar has been targeted many times as a signal for "healthiness", however, the addition of sugar to packed foods and meals out, is not yet clear.

The same way allergens are disclosed in bold, and take an aside note in eatery menus, SUGAR ought to be as well.

Small additions of sugar to allegedly "healthy" meals, do end up adding up due to its ubiquity and the lack of information on what a sugar/sweetener is.

People should be made aware of their choices, and the food industry is at the service of people as happy, healthy customers making informed free choices.

Updates

2017-11-05 19:07:45 +0000

10 signatures reached