Doner kebab contains shocking level of saturated fat and salt

London, United Kingdom January 28: A new study by councils of Food Standards Officers has revealed that an average doner kebab contains alarming 98 percent of daily salt and nearly 1000 calories.

The study was coordinated by LACORS (Local Authority Coordinators of Regulatory Services). The officers from 76 councils throughout the United Kingdom sampled 494 doner kebabs to check their ingredients, the labeling and the nutritional value. The results were hair-raising. The officers found that the average kebab contained about 1000 calories that is equal to half a woman’s daily food intake and 148 percent of daily saturated fat. The unhealthiest kebabs contained 1990 calories apart from salad and sauces, which is over 95 percent of a woman’s daily calorie intake, 346 percent of a woman’s saturated fat intake and 277 percent of an adult’s daily salt intake.

"We would never consider kebabs part of a calorie-controlled diet, but the level of saturated fat and salt in some is a serious cause for concern," said Geoffrey Theobald, chairman of LACORS. He added, "While some people may think they are making sensible choices by ordering a small kebab, this study showed little difference between small and large kebab weight."

The officers also found that 40 percent of sampled kebabs that provided labeling information did not mention precisely the meat species ingredient. About 35 kebabs contained meat species other than those mentioned on their labels, and six kebabs tested positive for pork without mentioning that on the label, including two that declared Halal.

"It is totally unacceptable that people with certain faiths are unknowingly eating meats that are against their beliefs," Theobald said. "Labeling is a safeguard for people to help them make informed choices, so need to be accurate."

The Food Standards Agency’s chief scientist Andrew Wadge said, “We welcome this new study. It is important that people are properly informed about the food they eat.