Salt reduction

Why is salt a problem?

Eating too much salt is a significant contributing factor to developing high blood pressure. At least 26 million people in the UK eat too much salt, increasing their risk of heart disease and stroke.

 

How much is too much?

Adults should have no more than 6 grams of salt a day which is about a teaspoonful. However, on average men are actually having about 10g of salt a day and women 7.9g a day. Children should have even less.

Find out how to work out what's a little or a lot of salt.

 

Which foods contain most salt?

When most of us think of salt, we think of shaking it on our food, or adding a pinch to cooking. But 75% of the salt we eat comes from processed food, such as some breakfast cereals, soups, sauces, biscuits and ready meals. Because of this the Food Standards Agency (FSA) has worked with the food industry to set targets for reducing the amount of salt in certain foods.

The voluntary targets apply to the 85 food types that add most to the salt in our diets. These are the everyday foods, bread, bacon, ham, breakfast cereals, cheese and convenience foods, pizza, ready meals, savoury snacks, cakes and pastries.

 

Are manufacturers reducing salt in their products?

There has already been some progress with The Federation of Master Bakers reporting a reduction of salt in bread of up to 30% and the Association of Cereal Food Manufacturers reporting reductions of salt in breakfast cereal by 33%.

We  take samples for analysis by the Public Analyst to ensure any nutrition information provided is correct and also to look at trends in levels of salt particularly in respect of the FSA voluntary salt targets. For further details of some of our sampling look in the Analyst's report section of this site.

For example the targets for bread is 1.1g per 100g. Recent samples we have taken from independent bakers showed that 21 out of 32 samples had salt levels above this target. The highest level we found was 1.68g per 100g. The bakers have been advised about the results and we have encouraged them to take steps to reduce the amount of salt they use in their products.

 

Are consumers getting the message?

The FSA Consumer Attitudes Survey in 2005 shows a 31% increase in consumers checking food labels for salt/sodium content (up to 53% in 2005 from 22% in 2000). Many people are also taking action in their own home, reducing the amount of salt they use in cooking and at the table. This has led to a decrease in sales of household salt by 10% in a year and the FSA has published new evidence, which shows the UK's average daily salt consumption has fallen from 9.5g to 8.6g since 2000.

 

A gradual process

The reductions do have to be gradual. A sudden decrease in salt will affect the taste and most consumers will not find the food pleasant. The aim therefore is to achieve the reductions by 2010, with a review of the targets by the FSA Agency in 2008 .

Visit the FSA website for more information on the FSA salt targets.