16 October 2009 | ConAgra Eyes 20% Salt Reduction

“US packaged food company ConAgra Foods has pledged to reduce salt content across its portfolio by 20% by 2015.

The company said yesterday (15 October) that it aims to add 8m (million) pounds of sodium to the 2m (million) it has claimed to have removed from its products already.

A study by Mintel in August found that US consumers are paying increasing attention to the amount of salt they eat.

The research found that more than half of Americans – 52% – are monitoring the amount of sodium in their diets and that the number of reduced-sodium products introduced to the market has increased by 115% between 2005 and 2008.
“Sodium reduction is part of our ongoing work to make food more nutritious,” said Gary Rodkin, ConAgra Foods CEO. “Americans need less salt in their diets, and they want less salt in their diets. We have the capability to meet consumer wants and needs – food people love not only because it tastes good, but also because it’s better for them.”
Since 2006, ConAgra said it has worked to reduce salt in a number of its brands, including Orville Redenbacher’s popcorn and Chef Boyardee pasta.

“We expect to continue to make food better, whether it’s through the inclusion of whole grains and other important nutrients, or reducing sodium, far beyond 2015,” Al Bolles, executive vice president, research, quality & innovation, ConAgra Foods. “We recognize the critical nature of our role in good health, and we’ll continue to make positive contributions. Providing good nutrition is essential to consumer and company well-being and is part of our overall commitment to social responsibility.”

This new study, published in the latest issue of the American Journal of Health Promotion, claims that $18bn of this cost could be slashed if sodium consumption were in line with dietary guidelines, while extending the lives of thousands of people every year.

Lead author Kartika Palar said: “Our results are driven by the fact that nearly 30 percent of the nation’s population has hypertension. One of the reasons thathypertension is so pervasive is that sodium consumption is so high…These findings make a strong case that there’s value in pursuing a population-based approach to reducing sodium intake among Americans.”

American Journal of Health Promotion Sept/Oct 2009

Full Story
http://www.foodnavigator-usa.com/Science-Nutrition/Slashing-sodium-could-save-18bn-in-health-care-costs-says-study

Since the bulk of our salt is already in food when we buy it, the main issue on the table is lowering the amount of sodium in grocery-store and restaurant food. But for the food industry, the challenge is far from simple.

The Globe and Mail June 24, 2009

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http://www.theglobeandmail.com/special-reports/hard-to-shake/the-taste-of-things-to-come/article1192703/

The link between ethnicity and high blood pressure is well known, but until now, researchers have been unable to pinpoint the cause. Now, researchers at the University of Ottawa’s Heart Institute have launched an ambitious, multi-million-dollar, three-year study to uncover the genetic determinations of salt sensitivity. Their success could revolutionize the treatment and prevention of hypertension.

The Globe and Mail June 23, 2009

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http://www.theglobeandmail.com/special-reports/hard-to-shake/hunting-for-the-salt-gene/article1191288

We think of hypertension and the accompanying risk of heart attack as a problem of middle age or obesity. So how did this slim Quebec teen get high blood pressure? The health dangers that stalk growing numbers of Canadian children begin with extreme levels of salt in our food – a lot of it in places you don’t suspect.

The Globe and Mail June 22, 2009

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http://www.theglobeandmail.com/special-reports/hard-to-shake/under-pressure/article1188881/

Nearly 1 in 3 adult Americans has high blood pressure—defined as 140/90 mmHg or higher—and about 37% have pre-hypertension, which is defined as 120-139/80-89 mmHg. High blood pressure is dangerous because it makes the heart work too hard and increases the risk of cardiovascular diseases like heart disease and stroke, the first- and third-leading causes of death nationwide.

National Institutes for Health January 26, 2009

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http://www.nih.gov/news/research_matters/january2009/01262009hypertension.htm

In the next few years, Unilever is going to undertake a worldwide effort to reduce the salt content of almost its entire food portfolio, covering 22,000 products.
Unilever’s aim is to reduce the salt content of its products by the end of 2010 to help people reach the daily recommended dietary intake of 6 grams salt per person. A further reduction would even make it possible to limit salt intake to 5 grams per person by the end of 2015.
This is in line with World Health Organisation guidelines. Unilever is the first food company that sets worldwide goals for salt reduction across its entire product range. These targets were announced today by Gaby Vreeken, Vice President Marketing of Unilever Benelux, at a press conference in the Unilever Research & Development Centre in Vlaardingen.
“Promoting a lower salt intake fits in with Unilever’s Vitality mission. It is an ambitious plan, but it can be done and really must be done. The challenge lies in achieving these results without compromising on flavour, quality and shelf life of our products. Approximately 75% of total salt intake comes from processed foods such as bread, cheese, meat, sauces and soups. Consumers will be more likely to adapt their taste preference to lower levels of salt if the food industry as a whole reduces salt levels”, says Vreeken.

Unilever NV April 21, 2009

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http://www.flex-news-food.com/pages/23310/Salt/Unilever/unilever-sets-worldwide-goals-salt-reduction.html#

CHICAGO – People in the United States consume more than twice the recommended amount of salt, raising their risk for high blood pressure, heart attacks and strokes, government health experts said on Thursday.

They found nearly 70 percent of U.S. adults are in high-risk groups that would benefit from a lower-salt diet of no more than 1,500 mg per day, yet most consume closer to 3,500 mg per day.

“It’s important for people to eat less salt. People who adopt a heart-healthy eating pattern that includes a diet low in sodium and rich in potassium and calcium can improve their blood pressure,” Dr. Darwin Labarthe of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said in a statement.

“People need to know their recommended daily sodium limit and take action to reduce sodium intake,” Labarthe said.

The study in CDC’s weekly report on death and disease used national survey data to show that two out of three adults should be consuming no more than 1,500 mg of sodium per day because they are black or over the age of 40 — which are considered high-riskgroups.

Reuters, March 26, 2009

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http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/29899064/

“Rates of hypertension (high blood pressure) are rising and affect more than 25 percent of Americans; another 25 percent or so is considered ‘pre-hypertensive’ and will develop hypertension if they keep eating the way they do.”

SF Chronicle, December 17, 2008

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http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2008/12/16/FDM914LKFN.DTL

“Salt ‘is the single most harmful element in the food supply, even worse than saturated fat and trans fat, or food additives and pesticides,’ says Michael Jacobson, executive director of the Washington, D.C.-based Center for Science in the Public Interest.”

USA Today, February 10, 2008

Full Story:

http://www.usatoday.com/news/health/2008-02-10-salt-dangers_N.htm