Mitchell Brandsgrove/Staff
An upgrade to the Health Star rating system will go into effect on Monday.
An upgrade to the Health Star rating system, making it tougher on sugar and salt, goes into effect Monday.
The system has helped consumers make healthier food choices by displaying the overall nutritional benefits of packaged foods, says Vincent Arbuckle, deputy director of the New Zealand Food Safety Authority. says Mr.
The Health Star Rating scheme is used in New Zealand and Australia to help consumers choose the healthiest products within food categories.
The scheme compares ‘negative’ nutrients such as energy, saturated fat, sugars and sodium with ‘positive’ nutrients such as protein, fiber, fruits, vegetables, nuts and legumes to determine the nutritional profile of a food. Score based on
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Products are then rated on a scale of 0.5 to 5 stars. Foods with a higher star rating are healthier than similar foods with a lower star rating. However, stars are not meant to be used to compare different types of food.
The Trans-Tasman system, introduced in 2014, was strengthened after a 2019 review found it to perform well, with suggested improvements to better reflect dietary guidelines.
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The Whole Truth: Health Star Rating
Key changes include lowering ratings for products high in sugar and salt, such as sugary breakfast cereals and fruit juices, and automatic 5-star ratings for minimally processed fruits and vegetables. increase.
“We heard that some people were having issues with rating discrepancies, and we listened to their concerns,” Arbuckle said.
“Using the best and latest science from various experts and being tough on sugar and salt, these issues have been resolved and the system is more robust.”
The change meant that consumers could be more confident in making better decisions on the fly, he said.
All manufacturers participating in the opt-in system must update their labels to reflect the change.
The Health Star Rating system remains voluntary and free of government fees, but the government will consider making the system mandatory if manufacturers do not meet the 70% target for adoption by 2025.
By mid-2021, more than 5,600 supermarket products will have health stars on their labels. This includes both manufacturer and in-house brands for Countdown, Four Square, New World, and Pak’nSave.
Uptake monitoring will then take place in November 2023 to assess progress against the government’s interim target of 50% of intended products to receive a star rating.
