CANTEEN TO SHAME UNI AT WORLD FOOD TALKS

By Gavin Pearce

A top food expert has blasted “unhealthy” canteen food at Westminster University – which is to host this summer’s world nutrition conference.

Sam Church, the senior scientific officer of the Food Standards Agency, said the canteen menu encouraged unhealthy eating that could lead to illness.

Ms. Church said the high saturated fat content of fried fish, beef burgers and pastries could increase the likelihood of heart attacks in later life if eaten regularly.

“If food like this formed a regular part of your diet, you would put yourself at risk from developing a high cholesterol level, which in turn can seriously compromise health,” she said.

The comments may prove hard to swallow for university bosses, who are organizing the ninth World Congress on Clinical Nutrition.

Experts from across the globe will meet at the university from 24 to 26 June to discuss how food can contribute to disease and help to fight illness.

But the Harrow campus assistant canteen manager, Venda Bediel, defended the food. She said: “We find these items are very popular with students. They are only part of the menu – we also offer a variety of main courses, sandwiches and vegetarian options.”