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menucal.ie
Website for restaurants to calculate calories launched by Food Safety Authority
This information could appear on menus in all food outlets.
THE FOOD SAFETY Authority (FSAI) has revealed its online calorie counter, designed for use by restaurants.
The authority is currently consulting the public on how best this calorie count can be published on menus, a proposal criticised by restaurant owners as potentially costing businesses thousands.
Menu-Cal is outlined as allowing restaurants to calculate this figure themselves “without any cost implications”, with chefs inputting a detailed list of ingredients
Dr Mary Flynn, Public Health Nutrition expert with the FSAI, said that Menu-Cal is a response to food business’s concerns to provide this information accurately.
“We have devised a calorie calculator that delivers this,” she explained, “while also offering chefs and cooks an extremely efficient way of securely storing all their recipes and ingredients in one location.”
Minister for Health James Reilly said it will have a “significant benefit to both individuals consumers and food businesses across the country”.
“Irish people want information to allow them to make healthy choices when it comes to the food they eat.”
The website allows you to outline how the meal is being cooked, and calculates the oil or butter being used:
You can then pick out individual ingredients and quantities:
The website then adds it all up:
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