Sales of Turkey Twizzlers soar as Britain's canteen culture remains a Jamie-free zone

Described as a menace to children's health, banned from schools across the country, the Turkey Twizzler is having the last laugh - or should that be gobble.

Described as a menace to children's health, banned from schools across the country, the Turkey Twizzler is having the last laugh - or should that be gobble.

Sales of the most reviled food product in the country are soaring, according to the manufacturer, turkey king Bernard Matthews, who is reporting a huge year-on-year rise in sales.

The Twizzlers were mauled by Jamie Oliver in his recent Channel 4 series Jamie's School Dinners, who pointed out they are largely made of water, rusk, pork fat and coating. Only a third is made up of "mechanically recovered" turkey meat.

Oliver was shown threatening to "send a bomb round their factory and shove it right up the jacksie of the MD."

The political response was almost immediate, with the Prime Minister announcing a £280m increase to pay for better ingredients in school meals. Compass, the giant catering firm which supplies thousands of school kitchens, was embarrassed into banning Twizzlers.

Yet the public reaction has been rather different, with the British appetite for junk food appearing to remain as sharp as ever.

Manufacturers report no downturn in sales of Fish Rockets, Turkey Dinosaurs, McCain's Smiles - a crispy potato product with its own child-friendly website - or any of the other products featured on Jamie Oliver's programme. And with Turkey Twizzler sales rising by 32 per cent on last year, Bernard Matthews says there are no plans to withdraw them.

On average only 45p per child is spent on primary school meals at present. As a result of last week's announcement, this will rise to at least 50p in primary schools and 60p for secondary dinners. A School Food Trust to advise schools - and parents - on healthier meals will also be established, with a budget of £60m. An advisory panel is due to start meeting in May to draw up nutrition guidelines for secondary schools. It may also consider the issue of television advertising.

Nutritional standards were introduced in 2003 for schools in Scotland, where £63.5m is being spent over three years on better ingredients.

The manufacturers defend their products. A spokesman for McCain's said that it had already reduced salt content. David Jolly, managing director of Bernard Matthews, says the Turkey Twizzler is only 7 per cent fat, which falls within the 10 per cent allowed in school food products.

"We have been unfairly treated over a turkey product which is the least fatty of all meats," he said. "We were picked out by Jamie Oliver because everyone has heard of Bernard Matthews, yet we are a company that has been responding to health concerns for years and going down the low-fat route. A Twizzler has much less fat than a sausage."

Companies such as Scolarest, part of the Compass group, say their hands have been tied by the 45p per child average they have been allowed to spend. In response to the publicity, Compass has banned Twizzlers from the thousands of schools it serves. Compass has been campaigning to increase the average spend.

Catering firms point out that, when funded properly - as in the many works canteens and restaurants they run - they serve up healthy and nutritious meals.

Whether or not the millions of parents who watched Jamie's School Dinners take his advice, of course, is a different matter. We visited four workplace canteens and put them to the test.

Nissan Motors, Sunderland

The plant serves 3,000. The kitchens cook fresh food, but most workers want casseroles. Staff revolted when curries were removed.

The lunch: Beef cobbler with boiled potatoes. £2.50

What else was on the menu? Soup; fish, chips; lamb, vegetables; vegetable balti, chicken; salads; apple pie.

What the diners say: Keith Copeland, 40, is a quality engineer. "I eat a healthy, balanced diet outside of work, but there is something about work canteens that make you go for the unhealthy options."

The nutritionist's verdict: "If you're working hard physically you can get away with more heavy food. But it's not a balanced meal if you don't have vegetables."

Leytonstone Tube station, London

Leytonstone station canteen is one of 27 on the Tube network for transport staff. It is run by an outside company, Sodexho.

The lunch: Battered cod and chips and salad plus a milkshake. £4.50

What else was on the menu? Lamb cutlets; mash and vegetables; salads; vegetable samosas; chocolate sponge pudding with custard.

What the diners say: Driver Alan Read, 50, said. "Fish and chips is quick and easy - I have to get the bus off on time. I usually have something fried."

The nutritionist's verdict: "At least he's having salad, but it's quite a high-fat meal," said Brigid McKevith from the British Nutrition Foundation.

The River Café, the 'IoS' canteen

The staff restaurant at Independent Newspapers serves 300 people in London. The canteen is run by Catering Alliance, part of the Aramark group.

The lunch: Vegetable pasta bake; bean salad. £3.

What else was on the menu? Soup; fish, chips; lemon and oregano vegetables; jacket potatoes; salad; bread and butter pudding.

What the diners say: Cathie Greasley, 29, is a project manager. "I try to pick jacket potatoes and salads. But the chips are always a danger."

The nutritionist's verdict: "It's a pretty good meal. There's plenty of carbohydrate and there will be protein in the bean salad."

Shell UK headquarters, London

The restaurant caters for 3,000 people. Food is coded for fat content. The canteen is run by the Compass group.

The lunch: Poached haddock mornay, vegetable and tomato provençale and a plate of mixed salad. £4.50

What else was on the menu? Fish, chips; vegetable curry; pork ribs; vegetables; salads; fruit; juice; crumble.

What the diners say: Amanda Prater said: "I usually tend to go for the salads."

The nutritionist's verdict: "Some bread or pasta would be a useful addition. But it's a good meal."

Interviews by Andrew Johnson, Helen McCormack and Stephen Khan