Cheese is junk food !

New TV advertising rules which will brand cheese as a junk food were blasted as madness yesterday.

The regulations, being introduced this month by TV watchdog Ofcom, are part of a Government campaign to reduce the exposure of children to food high in fat, salt and sugar.

The Food Standards Agency assessed the levels in 100g or 100ml serving of food or drink.

But the British Cheese Board said the typical portion size of cheese was 30 to 40g. Most cheese would be exempt from the ban if a typical sized portion was used.

Instead it has been branded more unhealthy than sugary cereals, full fat crisps and cheeseburgers.

Ofcom will now ban adverts of cheese during kids’ TV programmes, or shows with a large proportion of child viewers.

Anthony Gibson, of the National Farmers’ Union, said: “To suggest there is anything inherently harmful about cheese is absurd. It is not going to do anything to encourage the sales of cheese.”

He said the rules were “of no use to consumers“, adding: “It may very well put them off eating healthy things.”

Other foods caught in the ads ban include Marmite, Jaffa cakes, chicken nuggets, chocolate and pizza.