Salt demands too much for food companies

It quotes new research from Leatherhead Food Research that calls for health minister Andrew Lansley to reverse or ease his hoped-for 15% cut in salt levels this year. As well as affecting taste, the big changes would lead to high degrees of waste because products would lose preservation qualities from salt.

The Grocer has found that major manufacturers including Kraft, United Biscuits and General Mills are all likely to miss the targets on salt they had been set under the government’s Responsibility Deal with the private sector. Other companies have “hit the wall” in efforts to reduce salt levels—and forcing them to do any more might be counter-productive, said Andrea Martinez-Inchausti, food director at the British Retail Consortium. “Producing foods with even less salt could simply result in consumers switching to higher salt products.”

The Grocer says the government is prepared to examine the way it monitors companies’ progress against the Responsibility Deal, and wants to extend pledges to companies “in the hospitality and catering” sectors. Many restaurants and pubs have already signed up to aspects of the Deal, but are likely to want to resist any new pressure to reduce salt levels in meals.

For the full story, see Food companies ‘hitting the wall’ on salt.