UK Foods Standards Agency targets salt content in foods

03/08/05 The Food Standards Agency has published a consultation on proposals to set UK targets for levels of salt in a wide range of foods.

Updated tables of commitments from more than 50 food companies and trade associations to reduce salt in a variety of foods have also been published.

These activities form a significant part of the activity to encourage progress towards achieving the Government's average population salt intake targets of 6g per day by 2010, as set out in the Agency’s Strategic Plan and the Government White Paper ‘Choosing Health’.

The proposed targets have been developed following detailed discussions with a range of stakeholders, and the Agency is now consulting widely with food manufacturers, retailers, trade associations, caterers, consumer groups and other interested parties to establish views on:

- the food categories for which targets have been proposed

- the proposed targets for levels of salt in these foods

- how the Agency intends to assess progress by the food industry towards meeting these targets

To date the FSA and Department of Health have received 52 commitments to undertake salt reduction in a variety of products, and across all sectors of the food industry including major retailers and key manufacturers.

http://www.food.gov.uk/news/newsarchive/2005/aug/salttargetscons