The high levels of salt in food are becoming an increasing concern for health professionals and consumers alike as the dangers of a high-salt diet become more widely understood. So, how is the food industry addressing this issue, FoodNavigator wonders? Here's a possible answer.

A complex relationship

The relationship between food production and salt is complex. For years, we've been told by chefs, who generously sprinkle salt into dishes, that the seasoning with salt equals flavor. Alongside this, the food industry has long produced products with a high salt content, again to add flavor as well as for additional purposes such as preservation and thickening.

However, more recently, the dangers of a high salt diet have become better understood, and now we're told that salt should be used much less.

So, how is the food industry reducing salt in our food products, and what else can be done to ensure healthy salt levels in food products?

What are the dangers of excessive salt consumption?

According to the World Health Organization (WHO), "almost all populations consume too much sodium." The recommended daily salt intake is less than 5 grams per day for adults. However, the actual daily intake is in fact more than double at around 10.78 grams per day.

A high salt diet has been associated with a range of serious health issues, including high blood pressure, increased risk of cardiovascular diseases, gastric cancer, obesity, osteoporosis, Meniere's disease, and kidney diseases. Additionally, WHO estimates that there are approximately 1.89 million deaths per year related to excessive salt consumption.

"Reducing sodium intake is one of the most cost-effective measures to improve health and reduce the burden of noncommunicable diseases," says a WHO spokesperson.

How do producers reduce salt in our food?

The current salt content in staple foods of common pantries, including canned goods, breakfast cereals, and bread, is high, however, "it doesn't have to be this way," said Amanda Shiach, a research assistant and patient and public involvement coordinator at Queen Mary University of London, at the recent Nature Forum event "Reducing Salt in Our Diets."

"We can eat amazing food, but with less salt in it. Less salt means less harm. Strong and clear evidence consistently shows that reducing salt intake lowers blood pressure and death from cardiovascular diseases."

However, there is good news on the horizon, as previously applied salt reduction measures have already yielded positive results.

"The evidence base is absolutely overwhelming, with over a hundred randomized controlled trials, physiological studies, epidemiological studies, migration studies, studies on multiple populations, including our own salt reduction program in the UK over the past 20 years.

We've seen a reduction in salt in food, and that has led to a reduction in population blood pressure and a decrease in cardiovascular diseases and deaths," Shiach adds.

So, how were these salt reduction targets for food production in the UK set, and how were they implemented?

A multi-faceted approach

"The UK was one of the first countries to implement a comprehensive salt reduction program, and it was initiated by the Food Standards Agency," says Sonia Pombo, campaign lead for Action on Salt.

"They came up with a multi-faceted approach. There was a lot of collaboration with the Food and Drink Federation, retailers, and food producers, but also with health professionals and NGOs like [Action on Salt].

So, it developed a truly comprehensive program that had a number of different things, including salt reduction targets in almost 80 different food categories, and worked with the food industry to better understand what the salt content was for these foods? And how could we get rid of that?

"They set really achievable targets and provided companies with a reasonable timeframe to achieve them. And they really engaged with the food businesses to better understand where the challenges were. But also, where there were successes, if there were significant reductions in salt in foods, how could we reduce those levels even further?"

Innovation in salt reduction

"Innovation will be essential in salt reduction," says Jack Bobo, director of the Institute for Food Systems at the University of Nottingham. "But it's hard because consumers love innovation almost as much as they dislike change.

And there's no place where people dislike change more than in the food they eat because food is what brings us together with friends and family. So we have a huge challenge."

However, one form of innovation in salt reduction is the use of potassium-enriched salt as a substitute for more commonly used salty products.

"Potassium-enriched salts, also known as low-sodium salt substitutes, in which a proportion of sodium chloride is replaced with potassium chloride," explains Claudia Selin Batz, policy and advocacy advisor at the George Institute for Global Health.

"Our research has found that this is a suitable approach both for mitigating the adverse effects of excessive sodium consumption and for increasing potassium consumption." But can consumers taste the difference when consuming potassium-enriched salts? It seems not.

"They taste very similar to regular salt," says Selin Batz. However, the availability of potassium-enriched salt is an issue, with very few stores currently stocking it.

"Availability is a key issue," adds Selin Batz. "We have a single brand of potassium-enriched salt, 'LoSalt,' and it's not necessarily available in corner shops, it's more in supermarkets, so we need to address that."

What else can be done to reduce salt in food production?

Governments worldwide are already acting on research highlighting the dangers of a high-salt diet. However, not all governments are implementing legislation to reduce the salt content of foods produced in their countries.

"There's a mixed scorecard," explains Shiach. "But there needs to be a level playing field. A whole range of options are available to governments in terms of policies. They can monitor, they can set targets, they can focus on processed foods or foods eaten out of the home, they can change the salt supply."

Alongside this, it's important to help consumers understand why reducing salt in foods is important and how they can reduce the salt they use in the foods they prepare at home.

"Consumer education has value, especially in populations where more discretionary salt is used, where more is added in cooking," adds Shiach.

And, of course, the food industry is essential in making foods that are not only low in salt but also delicious to eat.

"The industry is an absolutely vital part of this process, as we've seen in the UK and we've seen around the world that they are part of the reformulation program. They've changed recipes, methods, and technologies. And in the UK, at least, there hasn't been a loss of sales. The population has adapted to changing levels of salt in foods and adapted their tastes," Shiach said.

"Many people continue to buy the food they love, there's no loss in sales or commercial profits, and all the while, we're eating less salt," agrees Action on Salt’s Pombo. (Photo: Freepik)