Kellogg’s crackdown on salt

The 25 per cent salt reduction in Corn Flakes also applies to other popular Kellogg’s brands based on Corn Flakes - including Kellogg’s Frosties and Kellogg’s Crunchy Nut Corn Flakes.

Kellogg’s has announced a major crackdown on salt in its products. The move comes as the UK Government is planning to reduce salt in people’s diets by a third by 2010 – from around nine grams a day in 2004 to six grams by 2010.

The company has reformulated its core Kellogg’s Corn Flakes product to contain 25 per cent less salt. The 25 per cent salt reduction in Corn Flakes also applies to other popular Kellogg’s brands based on Corn Flakes - including Kellogg’s Frosties and Kellogg’s Crunchy Nut Corn Flakes.  Shoppers will recognise the new reduced salt recipe by an on-pack ‘flash’.

“Breakfast is the most important meal of the day but worryingly one in five kids are skipping it – despite evidence that those who eat breakfast tend to have more physical and mental energy thank than those who don’t,” commented Alyson Greenhalgh-Ball, Health & Wellbeing Manager at Kellogg’s. “Kellogg’s believes it’s important for shoppers to look at the total amount of salt they consume.  Although breakfast cereals on average contribute a very small amount of salt in the diet – no more than 5 per cent of the average adult intake of salt2 - we  are committed to helping consumers reduce the amount of salt in their diets in line with Government policies on salt reduction,” she added.

Kellogg’s said that it has already reduced salt in its cereals by 20 per cent since 1998 and as part of its membership of the Association of Cereal Food Manufacturers (ACFM), it has committed to salt reductions across all of its cereal brands by 10 per cent by the end of 2005.

Now, one 30g serving of Kellogg’s Corn Flakes contains 0.55g of salt, which contributes 9 per cent of the Guideline Daily Allowance (GDA). The same sized serving of Frosties (30g) provides 0.35g of salt – 6% GDA.

Kellogg’s is stressing that fortification levels are not affected. Kellogg’s reduced salt cereals are still typically low in fat, high in carbohydrate and an important source of a range of essential vitamins and minerals. In fact, people who eat cereal for breakfast are more likely to meet the needs of B-group vitamins, iron, calcium and zinc.