Semi-skimmed milk changes to 1% Fat

19/11/2009

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The difference in the nutritional content between semi-skimmed and ‘1% Fat Milk’ is minimal.  ‘1% Fat Milk’ provides a very similar content of water soluble vitamins, protein, carbohydrate and minerals as semi-skimmed, whole and skimmed milk.

The milk will simply be called ‘1% Fat Milk,’ rather than ‘semi-skimmed’ though the packaging will remain blue, and the ‘1%’ fat level will be highlighted. All other Jersey Milk products will remain unchanged.

Jersey Dairy’s Head of Marketing and Sales, Christopher Journeaux said: ‘We are responding to consumer demand and offering people more choice and opportunity to choose to enjoy a healthy and balanced diet. Jersey Dairy is keeping pace with national developments – one percent fat milk was introduced in the UK in 2008 and is now one of the fastest growing milk products in the UK.Milk is an important part of a healthy diet and we will still have the whole range of ‘colours’ of Jersey Milk available, offering a choice of fat levels. For example, whole milk or our ‘green’ fat reduced milk is still more appropriate for toddlers under five and for people who are having trouble getting all the fat and calories they need.’

The move follows national recommendations and changes in the UKand has been supported by the UK Food Standards Agency. They have welcomed Jersey Dairy’s move to provide milk with only  one percent fat, as they say it gives consumers more choice when shopping for low fat dairy products. The FSA is encouraging people to choose lower-fat options as the organisation says people are all eating too much saturated fat.

As part of the change, the ‘1% Fat Milk’ will also be the chosen milk supplied to local primary schools helping with their healthy diets. This and the change in fat level of ‘blue’ milk, has been welcomed byJersey’s Health Department,

Jersey’s Health Promotion Officer for Food, Louise Dartnall said:‘Dairy products, including milk, make an important contribution to a balanced diet. Adults and young people who choose to consume the ‘1 % Fat Milk’ will still get the calcium and nutrients that they need, while reducing their saturated-fat intake.’

In Jersey parents are advised to give whole ‘yellow’ or fat reduced ‘green’ milk to children under five years old. If children are growing and eating well, after five years of age they can be offered the new 1% Fat Milk ‘blue’  or  skimmed ‘orange’ milk, or they can continue with ‘green’ fat reduced or ‘yellow’ whole milk.