Two leading industry interest groups have welcomed the introduction of vegetables into the schools' healthy-eating scheme.

Bosses at the National Farmers Union (NFU) and the Fresh Produce Consortium (FPC) are delighted with the move, after significant lobbying of the Department of Health.

Whitehall health chiefs have decided that vegetables should play a major part in improving the diets of schoolchildren – an important challenge for the new millennium.

To add to the fruit already available in schools, pupils will now be able to tuck in to tomatoes, carrots or celery.

'There weren't chosen for their popularity with children,' FPC ceo told the Journal. 'It's just different texture and flavours – a range of salads and vegetables.' UK growers will be supplying vegetables to the scheme.

'We are delighted,' said Henderson. 'As far as the carrots are concerned we have substantial availability of quality UK carrots – so there's an excellent opportunity for the UK industry there and the same goes for celery and tomatoes.' A selection of schools in Sheffield and Merseyside will act as pilot studies for the £42 million lottery-funded initiative.

'We are extremely pleased that the Department of Health has included vegetables on the scheme,' said NFU vice-president Michael Paske. 'It is essential schoolchildren are given the best start to healthy-eating, and British growers can give youngsters the best introduction to both the goodness and good taste that vegetables can bring.' Henderson said Campden & Chorleywood has been signed to undertake risk assessment of expanding the fruit offer to schools.

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