Salt in bread
New research published in BMJ OPEN reveals significant reductions of salt levels in UK bread
- Salt levels in packaged bread have come down by an average of 20% in 10 years
- Supermarket own brands have been leading the way, big brands are lagging behind and must catch up
Research from the Wolfson Institute, Queen Mary University on the salt levels of bread over the last 10 years has shown that salt levels have come down by an average of 20%. The surveys, conducted by Consensus Action on Salt and Health (CASH) looked at salt reductions made over time in packaged bread sold in the UK.
Approximately 75% of the salt consumed in the UK and other developed countries come from processed foods, and bread is the single largest contributor of salt in the diet (one fifth), because bread is such a large part of the UK diet. The results show that bakers have gradually reduced the levels of salt in their products, and should be congratulated, with approximately 2,400 strokes and heart attack events prevented each year, but much bigger reductions can be made.
Katharine Jenner, CEO of Blood Pressure UK, and co-author of the paper, says "These results provide evidence that the UK salt reduction strategy, based on a series of salt targets for different food groups, has been working. However much bigger reductions are possible and must be made, as they will save lives.”
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