A recent Mintel study revealed a massive five-year surge in new packaged foods which claim 'low-sugar', in response to health concerns like obesity and type 2 diabetes. A string of medical studies, health department campaigns and governmental intervention has shifted the magnifying glass onto the level of salt in packaged foods. According to Mintel's global NPD database, the number of packaged foods launched with a 'low-salt' claim grew by 115% over three years. Thanks to five key players are driving the explosion of low-salt foods.
1. Health departments are campaigning more zealously against salt
For six years now, the UK’s Food Standards Agency has campaigned to reduce the level of salt in diets towards the daily target of 6 grams. While the campaign started out with a general salt message, recent instalments have indentified specific food groups, including pasta sauce, bread and now cereal. Late last year, the Association of Cereal Food Manufacturers lobbied to prevent the ads running, but the FSA retorted, arguing that their aim is to encourage people to compare labels within a category (rather than avoid categories altogether), thereby providing significant opportunities for brands with relatively lower salt levels. In New York, the National Salt Reduction Initiative are starting with a co-operative stance, working with food manufacturers to reach their targets of a 25% reduction over 5 years.
2. Governments are finding reason to intervene
While Australian governments have been relatively quiet to date, they’re well aware that cardiovascular disease (the biggest killer amongst Australian women) is a major strain on the health system. This is further compounded by a recent Deakin University study which found that while most Australians are aware of the link between salt and high blood pressure, very few know how on-pack sodium labelling relates to salt levels. While the New York governance is encouranging the food industry to lead the way, researchers have argued the need to implement external rather than industry-applied regulation. One example is a Swedish study which has called on government to follow the Finnish lead in leslating to make salt-content labelling clearer on packaged food.
3. Medical researchers are digging for negative health consequences
The health implications associated with a high-salt diet are still emerging. While salt has long been linked with cardiovascular disease and heart attack, recent developments have found broader health impacts. A Japanese study published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition earlier this year found a connection between consuming high levels of salted foods and cancer, although the causal link is debated given that the highly salted foods considered in the study (salted fish and salted fish roe) coincidentally tended to contain other carcinogens.
4. Food labs are creating more viable artificial ‘salternatives’
Researches, scientists and nutritionist all over the world are busy working towards viable alternatives to salt. Dutch scientists have found a way to get the same taste from less salt with smarter distribution techniques. Japanese researchers have found that calcium can boost the flavour in reduced-salt foods. In the UK, Norgrow has developed a more flavoursome alternative to SaltRite, known as Powersalt. And KCI-based low-salt alternatives have been standing up in taste tests in everything from Irish ready-made lasagne to Korean fish burgers.
5. Packaged food manufacturers has are being singled-out
So far, researchers and governments are generally treating their high-salt populations as well-intentioned yet naive about their salt consumption. What’s more, it’s been found that in typical western diets, around 80% of salt intake comes from packaged foods. As a result, much of the focus has been on educating consumers about the ‘hidden’ salt in packaged foods. In the UK, the Consensus Action on Salt and Health claims that their campaign focusing on packaged foods caused a 45% reduction in salt intake over four years. With such immediate and substantial results, watch for Australian medical bodies and regulators to follow suit in 2010. Earlier this month, Sydney researches created a world-first database of the sodium content of packaged foods.
