Guidance for caterers in public institutions

Tuesday 30 October 2007

The Agency has today published two pieces of guidance to help caterers in publicly-funded institutions across the UK provide food that meets the nutritional needs of older people and other adults.

The guidance covers the many thousands of people who eat food provided by the public sector, including hospitals and residential care homes as well as workplaces.

The guidance is based on existing Government advice and is part of the Agency’s contribution to a wider cross-Government approach to the purchase and provision of food in the public sector. The two documents include practical advice in the form of two weekly sample menus based on dietary references for older people in residential care and three sample menus that meet the guidelines for adults. This updates guidance issued in 2006. The Agency is also developing sample menus for people in prisons and these will be available on this website at a later date.

In developing the guidance, the FSA has been in contact with a number of organisations, including Government departments and those responsible for catering in care settings, dietetic and medical associations, the prison services and a range of consumer, patient and medical charities.

More information on the guidance and sample menus can be found at the links below. The example menu documents in the 'see also' section contain details of the supporting evidence behind the guidance.