News... What’s On Your Plate

What’s On Your Plate - Heaven Or Hell?

Food from heaven or Food from hell, what do you get on your plate when you dine out?

The Fair Food Foundation’s campaign, What’s on Your Plate? has checked out some of the dishes on a menu to see whether the dishes use fresh local produce or that has travelled thousands

of miles. The result? Well it’s pretty shocking really. The dishes of steamed asparagus with poached eggs, crayfish tails wrapped in smoked bacon with new potatoes and salad, and apple tart clocked up an astounding 32,550 food miles when imported ingredients were used and a mere 425 food miles when locally sourced ingredients were used in place of imported produce. We reproduced the menu below so you can see just how easy it is to use local produce instead of goods that have flown half way around the world. Check it out and see for yourself.

“Why would you choose to eat Peruvian asparagus in the height of the UK season?” asks Lyndon Gee, CEO of the Fair Food Foundation.

“What’s the rationale behind importing Spanish eggs and Egyptian potatoes when both are produced here in great quantity?”

The menu from Hell uses huge amounts of fuel, releasing large amounts of CO² and supports countries with poor human rights records and lower animal welfare standards, whilst the menu from Heaven supports local producers and communities and provides fresher, tastier food, containing more vitamins and minerals for those who eat it.

Farmers Weekly magazine and Triodos Bank recently released the results of a survey showing that consumers (85%) were strongly in favour of restaurants and pubs using more local produce, and that more than half the people surveyed would buy less imported food if they were aware of the distance it had travelled. Doesn’t that tell you something?

But why does it matter?

Because it makes economic sense to use locally produced food; imported fruit and vegetables comprise the largest category of commodity air freighted into the country and 35-40% of freight on UK roads is deemed to be concerned with the production or distribution of food.

“And that’s a hidden cost that ends up on your bill!” states Gee.

The disclosure of sourcing on menus allows the consumer to choose whether to help reduce global warming, and to make an informed choice on the food they eat. Surely that is the right of every consumer? To purchase or consume goods, fully aware of where they originate and how far they have travelled before reaching our plate. That surely would be the menu from Heaven.

HEAVEN AND HELL FOOD MILES

Peruvian Asparagus was served to us in a London club during the height of the English asparagus season; already old by the time it arrives in the UK! 10,000 miles
Asparagus - English Asparagus is generally fresher and tastier and also supports rural jobs. We realise the English season is short but surely Spanish would be a better option than South American - and save 9000 miles... 50 miles
Spanish Eggs. Around 25 million Spanish Eggs imported into the UK and are commonly used in the catering industry. Spanish poultry farms have a higher incidence of salmonella. 70% of Spanish poultry farms tested positive with salmonella in a recent survey 750 miles
British Eggs. There are lots of varieties of chicken but we seldom see the eggs named by variety, yet each has its own distinctive characteristics: Bantam, Buff Orpington, Sussex, Cream Legbar, Scots Grey and Old English Game Bantam 75 miles
Chinese Crayfish Intensively farmed in China. With China’s attitude to both human and animal rights this crustacean can eat at your conscience! 5000 miles
Crayfish tails American Red Signal Crayfish have invaded British rivers and are killing many indigenous fish. Enterprising foragers are catching them and selling them to restaurants! 50 miles
Danish Bacon is cheaper to produce in Denmark with tethering and farrowing crates routinely used for keeping pregnant sows in close confinement for 16 weeks. This treatment is illegal in the UK. Denmark also recently backed the re introduction commercial whaling. Pancetta is a very fashionable ingredient but is generally artificially smoked streaky bacon produced to lower welfare standards than our own. 800 miles
British Bacon we have a proud porcine heritage in Britain. Gloucester Old spot, Tamworth, Essex, Hampshire, Berkshire, Saddleback and Oxford Sandy were all endangered breeds until the 70s when Rare Breeds Survival Trust was established. It was too late though for The Lincolnshire Curly Coat, Cumberland, Dorset Gold Tip and Yorkshire Blue - have been lost forever. Swindon actually derives its name from Swine Down, Wiltshire, 100 miles
Egyptian Potatoes - according to DEFRA the Egyptian potato import has amounted to 20,262 tonnes in the first quarter of 2006. 2200 miles
New Potatoes - British Potatoes grow all over the UK and are available all year round. The fresher they are dug the more nutrients and flavour they retain 45 miles
Imported Salad - Often from Spain or hot houses in Holland; supermarket salads can come as far as Africa! 800 miles
Local Salad - Leaves can be grown throughout England for most of the year, Lincolnshire produces lots! 75 miles
French Apples UK now consumes more French than British! Since the 70s we have lost 2/3rds of our orchards, yet now import apples from as far as New Zealand and China 13,000 miles
British Apples – 100s of different apple varieties in the UK. Each with a unique flavour and texture. Each county had favoured varieties for eating, cooking and cider making. 30 miles

TOTAL HELL FOOD MILES 32,550 TOTAL FOOD HEAVEN MILES 425

The Fair Food Foundation Ltd is now keen to hear from food outlets keen to carry the banner of fresh, local food with provenance. What's On Your Plate? is not about size, sophistication or expense. We want establishments ranging from the simplest teashop, local fish and chip bar, fast food outlet or country pub to a famous restaurant.

Visit www.woyp.co.uk to register your interest.