Turning on the TV recently without stumbling upon a show related to food - either its preparation or its production - has proven somewhat challenging.

The topic is also cropping up increasingly frequently on magazine shows. This week, BBC One’s The One Show featured a piece about the various health claims - low fat, added Omega 3, cholesterol-busting, etc - made by food manufacturers on a wide range of products.

Drinks, yoghurts, cereals and margarines, among others, came under the spotlight for the additional health properties their labels boast. UK shoppers seem more than happy to fork out for anything promising to keep them healthy with minimal effort. The EU has now decided to clamp down on such assertions and thousands of products are under review, forcing food manufacturers to tread more cautiously when it comes to making nutritional claims.

A few weeks ago, I said that people don’t want to hear health messages about their food, but it seems I may have to revise that opinion. With UK shoppers apparently so keen to seek a quick health fix, surely there is a chance here for the fresh produce industry to really stake its claim? If consumers truly are as interested in what they eat as TV producers seem to think they are, then fruit and vegetables are the ultimate functional foods. Never mind a probiotic yoghurt - what about one of your 5 A DAY?