A new survey of soups released by the Food Standards Agency shows that salt levels vary significantly across this category.
Many soups in the survey contained as much as a third of he recommended maximum daily intake for an adult per serving, while some contained as much as half.
The survey looked at the salt content in the canned, fresh/ chilled and dried soup categories and revealed that not only is there wide variation within each category but there is also wide variation with each flavour.
The dried soup category ranged from 1,2g to 2.9g of salt per serving, while two brands of canned mushroom soup contained twice the amount of salt of another canned mushroom brand. No brand was found to be consistently high or low in salt.
The recommended maximum daily intake for salt is 6g, and on average adults are currently exceeding this by 3.5g. The agency launched a public health campaign in September 2004 to highlight the risks of eating too much salt.
The highest levels of salt in the canned category were found to be the cream of tomato flavour for Somerfield and also Lidl’s Le Chef brand, both with 2.5g of salt, or 42% of the recommended daily salt intake. This was followed by Sainsbury’s version of the same flavour with 2.1g, and Tesco’s cream of chicken soup with the same level of salt.
The lowest salt content for this category was found in Asda’s cream of mushroom soup, which contained 1g of salt.
Responding to the survey, Food and Drink Federation deputy director general Martin Paterson, said: “The industry has made great strides in reducing the amount of salt in a wide range of processed foods. We have been reducing sodium in soups and sauces last year, with a 10% reduction in 2003, and a commitment to a further 10% this year, subject to consumer acceptance.
“However, we can only move at the pace dictated by consumers. A reduced salt product which is left on the shelf or to which consumers add salt at the table, will not benefit anyone.”
Many soups in the survey contained as much as a third of he recommended maximum daily intake for an adult per serving, while some contained as much as half.
The survey looked at the salt content in the canned, fresh/ chilled and dried soup categories and revealed that not only is there wide variation within each category but there is also wide variation with each flavour.
The dried soup category ranged from 1,2g to 2.9g of salt per serving, while two brands of canned mushroom soup contained twice the amount of salt of another canned mushroom brand. No brand was found to be consistently high or low in salt.
The recommended maximum daily intake for salt is 6g, and on average adults are currently exceeding this by 3.5g. The agency launched a public health campaign in September 2004 to highlight the risks of eating too much salt.
The highest levels of salt in the canned category were found to be the cream of tomato flavour for Somerfield and also Lidl’s Le Chef brand, both with 2.5g of salt, or 42% of the recommended daily salt intake. This was followed by Sainsbury’s version of the same flavour with 2.1g, and Tesco’s cream of chicken soup with the same level of salt.
The lowest salt content for this category was found in Asda’s cream of mushroom soup, which contained 1g of salt.
Responding to the survey, Food and Drink Federation deputy director general Martin Paterson, said: “The industry has made great strides in reducing the amount of salt in a wide range of processed foods. We have been reducing sodium in soups and sauces last year, with a 10% reduction in 2003, and a commitment to a further 10% this year, subject to consumer acceptance.
“However, we can only move at the pace dictated by consumers. A reduced salt product which is left on the shelf or to which consumers add salt at the table, will not benefit anyone.”
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