UK: Now health and safety cut number of holes in chip shop salt shakers

DailyMail.uk ^ | 28th June 2008 | Polly Dunbar

[yankeedame]

Now health and safety cut number of holes in chip shop salt shakers

By Polly Dunbar
Last updated at 10:38 PM on 28th June 2008

Pot-holed roads, crumbling schools, litter-strewn streets – there’s no shortage of problem areas crying out for their attention.

But councils believe they have found a better use for their money: reducing the number of holes in chip shop salt shakers.

Research has suggested that slashing the holes from the traditional 17 to five could cut the amount people sprinkle on their food by more than half.

Trickle or Treat: Chip shop owner Carol Ackerman shows off
an old 17-hole shaker and the new model

And so at least six councils have ordered five-hole shakers – at taxpayers’ expense – and begun giving them away to chip shops and takeaways in their areas.

Leading the way has been Gateshead Council, which spent 15 days researching the subject of salty takeaways before declaring the new five-hole cellars the solution.

Officers collected information from businesses, obtained samples of fish and chips, measured salt content and ‘carried out experiments to determine how the problem of excessive salt being dispensed could be overcome by design’.

They decided that the five-hole pots would reduce the amount of salt being used by more than 60 per cent yet give a ‘visually acceptable sprinkling’ that would satisfy the customer.

The council commissioned Drywite Ltd – a catering equipment company based in the West Midlands – to make five-hole shakers and bought 1,000 of them at a cost of £2,000, giving them away to fast-food outlets in their areas. .....

[stevem]

It's the end of the world as we know it...I feel fine...

[raybbr]

Jeez, these people are naive. People look at the food they are spraying salt on. When they see enough salt they stop. Putting less holes only means they are going to be shaking a lot more.

[TomGuy]

Next, the Nanny State will mandate only one full turn of a pepper mill be allowed per plate .... for the sake of the children.

[alice_in_bubbaland]

How will the customer be able to tell the difference between the salt and the pepper shakers now? :)

[musicman]

[gorush]

"Putting less holes only means they are going to be shaking a lot more.

At least they'll be getting more exercise. :{)

[TLEIBY308]

They can pull out their revolver and shoot a few more holes in it.

[CHEE]

Next: Forks with only 2 tines or chop sticks, reduce soup spoon downsized by half, license required for brazers and barbecue pits, beer sold only in 3 ounce containers, random weight checks of all citizens by the fat police (heavy fines based on pounds officially allowed), etc. I am fed up with this world wide nonsense.

[csvset]

I read the news today, oh boy
Four thousand holes in Blackburn, Lancashire
And though the holes were rather small
They had to count them all
Now they know how many holes it takes to fill the Albert Hall

[Bushwacker777]

Did the Muslims and the Vikings steal all the pretty women from England?

[Gorzaloon]

And so at least six councils have ordered five-hole shakers – at taxpayers’ expense – and begun giving them away to chip shops and takeaways in their areas.

I was just wondering..

Do the Councillors have spiffy little uniforms and hats?

You know, like band uniforms with lots of gilt and brass?

Or do they wear chains and Top Hats, like a Lord Mayor.

Or maybe powdered wigs?

Just curious.

[MarkL]

They decided that the five-hole pots would reduce the amount of salt being used by more than 60 per cent yet give a ‘visually acceptable sprinkling’ that would satisfy the customer.

Gee, I know that I always use my eyes to determine whether enough salt has been added to my food! I would NEVER actually try tasting the stuff!

I do have a question... Since they're cutting back on the number of holes in the shakers to reduce the amount of salt in each "shake," will they also pass a law to keep people from using additional shakes?

I know that when I'm at a pizza shop and want some grated cheese on my slice, if the shaker is clogged, I'll simply give it more shakes...

Mark

[Ezekiel]

Another local chip shop owner, Carol Ackerman, who runs Carol’s Plaice in the suburb of Acklam, said: ‘People will just put on more salt if they want more. ‘In fact, we have had some people unscrewing the lids to do so.’

Gateshead Council defended its decision. A spokesman said: ‘Research carried out by us discovered customers were often receiving huge quantities of salt with their fish and chips – up to half their daily allowance. The council was so disturbed it decided to commission a manufacturer to produce a salt shaker with fewer holes, which it distributed free to every fish and chip shop and hot food takeaway in Gateshead.

‘We believe the cost to be a small price to pay for potentially saving lives.’

Nothing is too trivial for a petty tyrant. We must stop Big Salt!

[reg45]

Shake, taste; shake, taste; shake, taste; etc.

[Dumpster Baby]

[Diogenesis]

Two problems wit this insanity.

First, since the flow rate of salt depends on the radius
of the hole (r*r), the Brits better regulate hole size, too.
Perhaps a new type of Police are necessary to regulate
this important matter.

Second, what about the British girls being raped all over
England, or sold at Gatwick?

[grjr21]

When 17-hole salt shakers are outlawed only outlaws will have 17-hole salt shakers

[ken21]

don’tja jus’ love stupid people?!

occasionally someone will tell me to not put so much salt on food.

but i do 120 staircases per day in the desert. today’s temp 114 degrees.

i sweat a lot. in fact, i take salt tabs.

[Ezekiel]

When 17-hole salt shakers are outlawed only outlaws will have 17-hole salt shakers

Well then at least the muslims will be able to salt their chips.

Check out the comments at the link. Colin in the UK voiced a concern about Repetitive Strain Injury, lol.

[tundrachick]

It's stupid and misdirected.

My doctor clued me in to this little tidbit: The sodium you shake on your food is nothing compared to the sodium in most processed foods. I checked the labels and sure enough, he's right. One-quarter teaspoon of table salt contains 590 mg of sodium. Now, most of us would gag if we put that much salt on our food. But we think nothing of eating a McDonald's sausage biscuit for breakfast (1080 mg of sodium), or a cup of Campbell's chicken noodle soup (890 mg) for lunch, or a Chicken BLT salad from Wendy's for dinner (1280 mg).

[calex59]

The leaders of the UK have all gone crazy, they have all bought into the left wing agenda and are intent on turning Britain over to the muslims and communist. 5 hole salt shakers simply means people will shake longer to get the salt they want on their food. People go by taste, and sight, when it comes to salt. 5 holes won’t make a difference but it will make this left wing dumb a**es “feel good” so therefore they do it. When you become a left wing crazy do they remove part of the brain or are these people born mentally deficient?

[SECURE AMERICA]

Just one more example that Soclaism is Insanity....

[BikerJoe]

Two problems wit this insanity.

There's a third problem:

Every bad, freedom-reducing idea in Britain tends to make it over here.

Some, like radical gun-control, we manage to stamp out. Others, like surveillance cameras everywhere, manage to take hold.

Makes you wonder what Orwell saw about his country.

[SECURE AMERICA]

<> Oh stop....

[socialismisinsidious]

When government thinks it is paying for your health care then it believes it has the mandate to do whatever it needs to in order to force you to do the "right" thing health wise. It's for the children.

Socialized Medicine aka Universal Health Care PING LIST

FReepmail me if you want to be added to or removed from this ping list.

[yankeedame]

It took me a second or two but....

Woke up, fell out of bed,
Dragged a comb across my head;
Found my way downstairs and drank a cup;
And looking up, I noticed I was late.
Found my coat and grabbed my hat,
Made the bus in seconds flat;
Found my way upstairs and had a smoke;
Somebody spoke and I went into a dream . . .

[az_gila]

I was just wondering.. Do the Councillors have spiffy little uniforms and hats? You know, like band uniforms with lots of gilt and brass? Or do they wear chains and Top Hats, like a Lord Mayor. Or maybe powdered wigs? Just curious.

--------------------------------

They do seem to have fancy chains... the old Mayor going for Fair Trade.

The new Mayor. I guess the ladies also get a fancy gown (trimmed with fake fur, I'm sure)

[Gorzaloon]

They do seem to have fancy chains... the old Mayor going for Fair Trade.

Thanks. They DO seem to have a lot of power.

[The Great RJ]

This is idiotic as eating the deep fried in oil fish and chips themselves may be at least as unhealthy as the salt. I expect next to hear of some local Council to issuing a dictat regulating the amount of toilet paper used per sitting and mandating the installation sheet limiting dispensers ... all to save the world from global warming.

[az_gila]

I stand corrected, apparently the robes are not PC... it's real ermine fur, and worn by both sexes.

http://www.gateshead.gov.uk/Council%20and%20Democracy/represents/mayor/civictraditions.aspx#Robes

I'm surprised the PETA folks haven't destroyed it....

The Mayor is appointed by 66 councillors - a lot of sucking up to do...:^)

[Old Professer]

They know they are paying for your health care; they think they are paying for your health.

[Gorzaloon]

A certain Canadian Lord Mayor was leaked to the Web some years ago. She did not wear that. She wore her Chains of Office.

I must say, for a forty-year old with two kids, she........Nevermind...

Bet she never brings her PC to THAT shop again!

[Winniesboy]

we think nothing of eating a McDonald's sausage biscuit for breakfast

Um...really? I've crammed a good many culinary experiences into my 60-odd years, but this one has so far eluded me...

[Winniesboy]

Do the Councillors have spiffy little uniforms and hats?

No...usually just rather tired suits, I'm afraid.

[Paleo Conservative]

Jeez, these people are naive. People look at the food they are spraying salt on. When they see enough salt they stop.

Even better remove the top or the plug on the bottom of the shaker and just be careful not to get too much salt on the food.

[4yearlurker]

This is all about the subjects of England using less “free” health care. It's the gubmint looking for ways to save a few pounds. That's all.

[lonevoice]

Next: Forks with only 2 tines or chop sticks, reduce soup spoon downsized by half, license required for brazers and barbecue pits, beer sold only in 3 ounce containers, random weight checks of all citizens by the fat police (heavy fines based on pounds officially allowed), etc. I am fed up with this world wide nonsense.

Good post!

[justiceseeker93]

The next step in this regulatory idiocy will be to ban the manufacture of salt shakers completely.

[William Tell]

Didn’t Swift’s Gulliver’s Travels go into some detail regarding the proper way to crack an egg? He was writing satire but if he were alive today he would have to come up with something a little more trivial to compete with how many holes one should have in a salt shaker.

[Neidermeyer]

Did they place a limit on the size of the 5 allowed holes??