The Food Standard Agency has changed its guidance for cereal producers – they can now differentiate between the different types of sugars used.
The modifications are part of the second edition of the technical guidance on traffic light labelling.
These changes come after consumers questioned the difference between products high in added or artificial sugar and those that occur naturally as in fruit. Fructose, from fruit, is generally lower in calories than added sugar.
“The sugars contained in dried fruit are assumed to be intrinsic and are not included as added sugars,” the guide now says.
Manufacturers should therefore provide separate text if sugars from fruit or milk have been used in the product, separate from the red, amber or green sugar symbol, the guide says.
