Slough Borough Council’s trading standards team found surprisingly high levels of salt in healthy option food as part of a region wide sampling test across the South East.
A salt shaker.The investigation, Hidden Salt in Food, was carried out by Slough trading standards services from 19 local authorities who make up the Trading Standards South East (TSSE).
A total of 139 Slough products were sampled, including healthy option ready meals, breakfast cereals, bread and savoury biscuits not typically associated with containing high levels of salt.
The products chosen for testing displayed salt levels in a range of formats. Some items used the Food Standards Agency (FSA) traffic light labels, some displayed Guideline Daily Allowance (GDA) for nutrients, whilst others gave no nutritional guidelines at all.
The testing also checked the levels declared on the food labels were accurate for the weight of the product and were not misleading.
The Slough results showed a surprising 12 percent of the products, including healthy options, had over 1.5g of salt per 100g, giving them a red colour on the FSA traffic light scheme meaning they’re high in salt.
A further 62 percent of the products had between 0.3g and 1.5g of salt per 100g, giving them an amber colour under the scheme, meaning the levels were acceptable but could occasionally be replaced with lower levels.
Products with less than 0.3g of salt per 100g had the most desirable amount, giving them a green coloured traffic light.
Some products failed to declare any information, removing the consumer’s ability to make an informed choice about the amount of salt they’re eating.
From these findings, Slough trading standards and TSSE are calling on the food industry to reduce hidden salt levels in food and provide clearer information on labels.
Angela Satterly, principal technical enforcement officer for Slough Borough Council, said: “The findings of the investigation clearly demonstrate to the food industry there is an opportunity to cut salt levels further.
“There’s strong evidence linking high salt intake to high blood pressure, which is the main cause of strokes and a major cause of heart attacks. A diet high in salt has other adverse effects, including osteoporosis, asthma and is closely linked to cancer of the stomach.
“The UK population currently consumes an average of 8.6g of salt per day, 85 percent of which is contained within the food and not added by the consumer.
“For medical and health reasons, consumers should actively seek to lower the amount of salt they eat to at least 6g a day.”
Chrissy Small, commissioner for Slough health and wellbeing, said: “It’s important food labels help consumer’s make informed choices about what they eat.
“People think choosing a ‘healthy option’ will automatically mean low salt levels, but the findings of this investigation show this is not always the case.
“Food production companies need to make their labels clearer to help people choose accordingly and consumers need to keep an eye on the amount of salt in the meals they eat.”
Slough Borough Council
