Turkey Twizzlers to return 15 years after chef Jamie Oliver targeted them in campaign

<p>Manufacturer Bernard Matthews is relaunching the product, claiming it has developed a recipe which is "healthier and tastier than ever before".</p><p>In 2005, Turkey Twizzlers were banned from school menus and discontinued during a wave of negative publicity following the programme, Jamie's School Dinners, which triggered a national debate about the quality of food for children.</p><p>But despite concerns the product "remains ultra-processed", Bernard Matthews claims it has been "missed" by families and is "much-improved", containing 67%-70% turkey meat.</p><p>When it was last available on school menus, it contained 34% turkey along with a range of additives and flavourings.</p><p>At the time, <a href="https://news.sky.com/topic/jamie-oliver-7554" target="_blank">Mr Oliver</a> said: "The prospect of what else is in them isn't particularly good."</p><p>The company's marketing director David Leigh said the old Turkey Twizzler had 137 kcal, while the new version had 87 kcal.</p><p>The firm celebrated the return of the corkscrew meat strips by unveiling a three-metre-high statue of a Twizzler at its headquarters in Norwich.</p><p>An online petition in 2018 calling for the return of the Turkey Twizzlers attracted nearly 28,000 signatures.</p><p>Nutritionist Dr Sarah Schenker said: "Turkey Twizzlers have listened to the public and completely transformed themselves into a much-improved product.</p><p>"They now have a nutritional profile they can be confident in. High in good quality protein and lower in fat, saturates, salt and sugar."</p> <p><strong>:: Listen to the Daily podcast on <a href="https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/sky-news-daily/id951048357?mt=2" target="_blank">Apple Podcasts</a>, <a href="https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuc3ByZWFrZXIuY29tL3Nob3cvMzI4NzI0Ni9lcGlzb2Rlcy9mZWVk" target="_blank">Google Podcasts</a>, <a href="https://open.spotify.com/show/3RdXZrbbG3NydLsPYmRSJy" target="_blank">Spotify</a>, <a href="https://www.spreaker.com/show/sky-news-daily" target="_blank">Spreaker</a></strong></p><p>But campaigners for healthy food remain unconvinced by the quality of the product.</p><p>Barbara Crowther of the Children's Food Campaign told The Guardian: "The fact it's taken Bernard Matthews 15 years to reformulate the Turkey Twizzler shows what a truly terrible product it used to be.</p> <p>"Doubling the turkey content still only takes it to 67-70% meat content, and while it's a healthier version of its former self, it remains an ultra-processed product."</p><p>Bernard Matthews said Turkey Twizzlers will be available in two flavours, Original Tangy Tomato and Chilli Cheese, at Iceland stores from Thursday.</p>