HSC Nutritional Standards: starchy carbohydrates

Nutritional Standards

1.1 Starchy sources of fibre (for example, wholemeal pasta and potatoes with skins) or brown rice must be available at all meal times. 

1.2 At least 60 per cent of breakfast cereals on display must be high in fibre – they must contain more than 6 g of fibre per 100 g and must not exceed 12.3 g of total sugars per 100 g. 

1.3 At least 60 per cent of breads on display must be a source of fibre, such as wholegrain, brown, wholemeal, wheaten and granary options – they must contain more than 3 g of fibre per 100 g. 

1.4 At least 60 per cent of the bread in prepacked sandwiches must be a source of fibre, such as wholegrain, brown, wholemeal, wheaten and granary options – they must contain more than 3 g of fibre per 100 g.

1.5 At least 75 per cent of breads (on display) must meet UK-wide salt targets for the food industry, Welsh Government Corporate Health Standard: A Quality Framework and Award for Health and Well-being in the Workplace 2016.

1.6 At least 75 per cent of breakfast cereals on display must meet UK-wide salt targets for the food industry, Public Health England Salt reduction targets for 2014. 

1.7 Salt must not be added to the following foods during cooking or before service; pasta, rice, potatoes (including chips and potato products).

What foods are included

• Breads – wholemeal, granary, brown, white, wheaten and soda bread, potato bread, pitta bread, chapattis, tortillas, paninis and bagels
• Potatoes, sweet potatoes and squashes (except if they are eaten as a vegetable portion for a main meal – in this case, sweet potatoes or squashes do not count as a starchy food)
• Breakfast cereals
• Rice, brown rice, couscous, bulgar wheat (cracked wheat), semolina, tapioca, maize, cornmeal and quinoa
• Pasta, including wholewheat pasta
• Noodles, including rice, udon, soba and egg noodles
• Other grains, for example oats, millet, barley, buckwheat, rye and spelt