New labels promoting the fruit and vegetable content of composite foods are set to help families eat more healthily.

A new code from industry body IGD allows any type of food meeting certain criteria to display a label confirming it represents one of a person's recommended five portions a day.

In order to meet these standards, composite foods must feature at least 80g of fresh fruit or 30g of dried fruit without containing more than 30 per cent of a person's daily recommended allowance of sugar or saturated fat.

The products must also refrain from including more than 40 per cent of a person's daily recommended salt allowance.

Speaking to British Baker Magazine, IGD chief executive Joanne Denney-Finch claimed the new labels would provide a major boost for families trying to eat more healthily.

She said: "Composite foods are an important source of fruit and vegetables in the diet. Labelling the number of portions in composite foods helps consumers to increase their five-a-day intake and encourages good businesses to add more fruit and vegetables to their products."

According to just-food.com, the code was drawn up by a team of nutritionists and trade associations under the auspices of the IGD.

It was reportedly inspired by a IGD poll which indicated that 46 per cent of Brits are aiming to eat more fruit and vegetables over the next year.