MORE quick service restaurants like Subway and Yoshinoya are now serving healthier food cooked with less fat and salt, and more fruits and vegetables.
The Health Promotion Board (HPB) has extended its programme to help restaurants serve healthier food, which began in 2003 with Chinese restaurants, to such quick service restaurants.
Like fast food restaurants, they provide casual and quick dining, minimal service at the tables and food that is usually cooked in bulk and in advance.
Since the first restaurant, Subway, joined in 2005, four other restaurants have followed suit: Yoshinoya, Soup Spoon, Baguette and Saybons.
Together, the five companies run 73 outlets.
Under the programme, HPB officers dish out advice on how to improve their menu, as well as conduct laboratory tests and go undercover as 'mystery diners' to check if improvements have been made.
Restaurants that pass muster get to display the HPB's Healthier Choice logo.
After Subway joined the programme, it has reduced the amount of salt in its bread, pickles and jalapenos. It has also eliminated trans-fat from its bread and cookies.
Saybons has cut down on cream and salt for its soups.
