Government chiefs are set to clamp down on the use of so-called “nitro” meat in schools thanks to a newspaper’s investigation.

HTFP reported a fortnight ago how The Herald on Sunday had revealed most councils and NHS boards in Scotland using the meat, which includes preservatives such as nitrates and can increase the risk of bowel cancer.

Education Secretary John Swinney is now set to back maximum legal limits for meats such as ham and bacon at lunch times, and support a restriction on the use of products which contain nitrites, as a result of the Glasgow-based paper’s campaign.

Glasgow City Council has also confirmed its schools are planning to go nitrite free by the end of the year.

The Herald on Sunday launched the campaign on its front page

A Scottish government spokesperson told the Herald: “Providing healthy meals for children and patients is vitally important.

“We expect schools to serve healthy and nutritious food. Having considered the responses to our recent consultation on nutritional school food standards that proposed introducing a maximum level for red and red processed meat – including those where nitrites have been raised as a concern – and we expect to publish a report by the end of June detailing the changes to be made to school food and drink legislation.”

A Glasgow City Council spokesperson added: “Catering and Facilities Management are having discussions with their suppliers and they are planning to be able to say that there will be no nitrites in any of the menus offered in Glasgow schools by the end of the calendar year.”