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Education Secretary Michael Gove has today announced revised School Food Standards that will be mandatory from January 1st 2015 in all maintained schools plus all academies and free schools established from this month.

The new standards are food-based only, which will mean caterers will no longer be required to nutritionally analyse all menus and recipes.

To replace the nutrient-based standards, the revised standards have been enhanced or revised so that nutritional values will not be compromised.

Gove said: "The new standards set out to ensure that food provided to pupils is nutritious and high quality, to provide good nutritional health to pupils, to protect the 'nutritionally vulnerable' and to promote good eating behaviour."

The revised standards mean that starchy food cooked in fat or oil must not be provided on more than two days each week. The old standards specified no more than three times a week.

To promote variety the new standards want three or more different starchy foods provided weekly, including at least one wholegrain variety.

The theme of variety is also seen in fruit and vegetables, with caterers needing now to ensure at least three different vegetables and three different fruits are provided each week.

When it comes to protein, the revised standards are more specific about the provision of meat, fish, eggs, beans and other non-dairy sources. The revisions here are designed to ensure adequate levels of protein, iron and zinc and increase the variety of foods on offer.

The same thinking is behind the new requirement for a portion of dairy food to be included every day and that lower fat milk and lactose reduced milk are made available.

There are changes also to drinks, with a maximum of 150ml of fruit juice and a 330ml limit to 'combination' drinks. The standards have been designed to control the amount of added sugar.

Click on the icon below to see The new Requirements for School Food Regulations 2014.