Sauces and Meats on Salt and Fat Reduction Menu

“This is a triple win – for consumers who will find it easier to eat healthily, for Government with population health improvements and for manufacturers with new product innovations to meet consumer needs,” Ms Carnell said.

4/11/2011 --- Salt in Australian-manufactured simmer sauces and salt and saturated fat in processed meats is being reduced by leading food manufacturers to improve the diets and health of Australians as part of an industry, retailer and government partnership called the Food and Health Dialogue.

Under the Dialogue – chaired by Parliamentary Secretary for Health Catherine King – salt and saturated fat reduction targets* have now been set for 85 per cent of leading brand simmer sauces well as 95 per cent of processed meats.

“While salt is an important part of our diets, eating too much can be harmful and that’s why industry has been involved in salt reduction strategies for a number of years – industry is also committed to reducing saturated fats in manufactured foods,” said AFGC Chief Executive Kate Carnell, who acknowledged the support of other Food and Health Dialogue representatives including the National Heart Foundation, Public Health Association, Quick Service Restaurant Forum, Woolworths and CSIRO.

“This is a triple win – for consumers who will find it easier to eat healthily, for Government with population health improvements and for manufacturers with new product innovations to meet consumer needs,” Ms Carnell said.

“Australia’s leading food and grocery manufacturing companies continue to move forward in salt reduction as well as reducing saturated fats from diets.

“Many other leading companies are also proactively identifying other food product areas where salt and fat can be reduced including soups, and processed chicken.”

* Targets: Leading manufacturers General Mills, AB World Foods, Goodman Fielder Home Ingredients, Mars Food Australia, Nestle Australia, Simplot Australia, SPC Ardmona and Unilever Australia, as well as retailers Woolworths, Coles and ALDI, have agreed to reduce by 15 per cent the sodium content of pasta sauces, Indian-style sauces and other simmer sauces that exceed 420 milligrams of sodium per 100 grams by the end of 2014. The same manufacturers and retailers have also agreed to reduce by 15 per cent the sodium content of Asian-style simmer sauces that exceed 680 milligrams of sodium per 100g.

In relation to processed meats and by the end of 2013, leading manufacturers Bertocchi, D’Orsogna, Fibrisol Service Australia, George Weston Foods, Myosyn Industries, Primo Smallgoods, Ridders Fresh/Tibaldi' and retailers Woolworths, Coles and ALDI have agreed to:

* reduce the sodium content of bacon and ham/cured meat products to 1090 milligrams/100g
* reduce the sodium content of emulsified luncheon meats to 830 milligrams/100g
* reduce by 10 per cent the saturated fat content of cooked/smoked sausages and luncheon meats (excluding salamis) that exceed 6.5 grams of saturated fat per 100g.