Setting the Table Guidance

Appendix 3: Glossary

A list of key words used within this guidance have been provided for your information.

Cross contact

When an allergen is accidentally transferred from one food to another.

Free sugar

Free sugars are all sugars which are added to food and drinks by manufacturers, cooks, or consumers. However sugars naturally present in honey, syrups and unsweetened fruit and vegetable juice are also considered free sugars because they are not inside the cellular structure of food and can also be more damaging to our health, particularly our teeth. Sugar found naturally in milk and whole fruit and vegetables does not count as free sugar.

Non-dairy alternative

An alternative to milk and dairy products, such as yoghurt, which is unsweetened and calcium-fortified.

Plain (e.g. plain milk /water/breadsticks)

Without the addition of other ingredients.

Prepacked food

Any single item for presentation as such to the final consumer and to mass caterers, consisting of a food and the packaging into which it was put before being offered for sale, whether such packaging encloses the food completely or only partially, but in any event in such a way that the contents cannot be altered without opening or changing the packaging. ‘Prepacked food’ does not cover foods packed on the sales premises at the consumer’s request or prepacked for direct sale. Examples of these products include general supermarket items such as packets of biscuits, boxes of cereal and cartons of fruit juice.

Pre-packed for Direct Sale Food (PPDS)

PPDS food is any single food item for presentation to final consumers and to mass caterers , which consists of the food item and packaging which may enclose the food item completely or partially; but in such a way that the contents of the food item cannot be altered and where the food item is put into packaging before being offered for sale to the customer by the same food business: i) on the same premises; or ii) on the same site ; or iii) on other premises if the food is offered for sale from a moveable and/or temporary premises (such as marquees, market stalls, mobile sales vehicles) and the food is offered for sale by the same food business who packed it. Examples of these foods include: sandwiches prepared and then placed into packaging by the food business, before the consumer selects them, and sold from the same premises, or empire biscuits or strawberry tarts that are then packed on the same premises in advance of sale to customers by the baker.

Pre-school children

Children attending an early learning and childcare (ELC) setting.