Novel idea to cut salt in fish & chips

IT MIGHT well be a British favourite, but fish and chips is not always a healthy option – especially if there’s extra salt. However, one fish and chip shop in Yorkshire is trying to help its customers eat less salt by serving the meals “Italian style”.

 

This weekend, as part of salt awareness week, Whitby’s Quayside will be asking their customers to ditch the salt and vinegar in favour of a few shakes of lemon juice and tomato salad. It’s how the Italians do it apparently.

 

The initiative comes just days after the government urged more take away companies, and caterers, to sign up to pledges to help reduce average salt intake from 8.1g to 6g per day.

 

Stuart Fusco, director at Quayside, said fish and chips is a great national dish but “we want to do our bit to help reduce our customer’s salt intake too”. 

 

He added: “Our fish and chips contain very little salt and it is only when salt is added after frying that the salt content of fish and chips increases. By offering our customers an alternative – and delicious – way to dress fish and chips, we hope to show that fish and chips can be just as tasty without the added salt.”

 

Earlier this week, public health minister Anna Soubry launched a new “salt strategy” to cut salt intake by a quarter. “Through the Responsibility Deal, we are working with the food industry to make sure people are given healthier options with less salt in their favourite foods,” she said, adding:

 

“The voluntary approach is working and we have already seen results in our everyday foods, but to get the greatest impact, we need more companies pledging to reduce salt levels, particularly in the catering and take away sector.”