Urgent call for salt reduction in cheese as AoS study exposes increasingly high levels

27 Feb 2024 --- The British cheese industry has failed to reduce the levels of salt in its products over the past decade, a new study by the NGO Action on Salt reveals. Key findings include that a small 30 gr portion of cheddar contains more salt than a packet of chips, and plant-based cheeses perform even worse.

“Most of the salt we eat is already in the foods we buy, including popular household items like cheese,” Sonia Pombo, registered nutritionist and campaign lead at Action on Salt, tells Nutrition Insight. “Regularly consuming too much salt will raise our blood pressure, which is the single biggest risk factor for strokes and cardiovascular disease.”

“The current maximum salt target for hard-pressed cheese is 1.9 gr per 100 gr,” she explains. “Given that the average salt content of all cheese included in this survey is 1.72 gr (per 100 gr of cheese), it would not be unreasonable to suggest a 5% reduction.”

Reducing the salt content of cheddar, the most popular type of cheese in the UK, has been shown to be feasible and important.“The current targets are voluntary and rely on a company’s willingness to reformulate, but if made mandatory, then this would ensure all companies work toward the same target and create a level playing field.”

Variations in salt content
The research conducted by an Action on Salt expert group based at the Queen Mary University of London, UK, assessed the salt content of over 600 cheddar and other similar types of cheese available at ten different retailers. 

“The average salt content of all hard-pressed cheese is 1.72 gr per 100 gr, but it ranges from 0.51 gr to 3.16 gr per 100 gr, a six-fold difference,” details Pombo. “Retailers’ own brand products dominate the market, with a lower salt content on average in comparison to manufacturers.” 

“Of the cheese products surveyed in both 2012 and 2023, 1 in 10 (15%) achieved a reduction in salt content (greater than 5%), 65% saw no change, and 20% increased in salt,” she adds.

 “Cheddar is by far the most popular cheese category, with over 400 different products on the market. There is variation in salt content for plain standard cheddar across different businesses, with Morrisons producing cheddar cheese that is approximately 8% lower in salt compared to many other companies. This confirms that salt reduction is indeed possible.”

Also, more positively, she acknowledges that there are notable examples of cheese products that have successfully reduced their salt content. “The cheese with the greatest reduction in salt was seen in Iceland’s Wensleydale and Cranberry, with a 46% reduction from 1.3 gr to 0.7 gr per 100 gr.”

Plant-based cheese
According to the new data set, plant-based cheeses have the highest salt levels among all categories, averaging 1.91 gr per 100 gr, nearly 10% saltier than cheddar. 

According to the new data, plant-based cheeses have the highest salt levels among all categories.“Many people often associate plant-based alternatives as better-for-you — this is the “health halo”. But unfortunately, this is not always the case,” Pombo asserts.

“Our research found many plant-based cheese products were higher in both salt and saturated fat compared to standard cheddar. So while it might be better for animal welfare, they have no nutritional benefits in comparison to other cheese products.”

Addressing the health concerns associated with such high levels of salt consumption, she states, “Lowering salt intake reduces blood pressure in almost everyone, men and women of all ages, ethnic groups and socioeconomic status, and will therefore improve population health outcomes.”

According to research conducted by the American Heart Organization in Australia, reducing the salt in packaged foods could save 1,770 lives per year and prevent close to 7,000 annual heart disease diagnoses. 

Need for action 
Based on these new findings, Action on Salt argues that the UK government needs to take action to regulate salt content in cheese.

“The government has published several voluntary salt reduction targets for individual food categories, with the most recent to be achieved by the end of 2024. The various iterations of the targets have been designed to encourage gradual reductions in salt content of around 80 categories of food, with some notable categories of success.”

“Having compared the salt content of cheese to data obtained in 2012, however, it is evident that salt reduction in hard-pressed cheese has been rather limited,” she points out. 

 Action on salt has previously criticized the British government for its decision not to implement additional taxes on salt sugar, arguing that it is siding with industries rather than considering public health outcomes. 

 According to the WHO, this is a global issue, with the whole world being off-track to meet its 30% salt reduction goal by 2025. The international organization has urged all nations to pursue mandatory salt reduction policies. 

By Milana Nikolova