Curbing sodium: American Heart Association research urges less salt in food formulation

11 Jan 2023 --- Changing the recipes of Australian packaged foods to reduce sodium could save 1,770 lives per year in the country and prevent nearly 7,000 annual diagnosis of heart disease, kidney disease and stomach cancer, according to research by the American Heart Association (AHA) published in Hypertension journal.

Most of the sodium in people’s diets comes from processed and packaged foods. According to the AHA, in research carried out in the US, 75% of daily sodium intake is from processed and packaged foods and restaurant foods.

The study’s authors recommend following the World Health Organization (WHO) guidance for maximum sodium levels in food categories – 540 mg of sodium per 100 g of lunch meat product and 330 mg of sodium per 100 g of bread, for example.

Many countries have incorporated these guidelines when reformulating processed food programs, saving lives. However, the authors warn that there is a lack of monitoring and the WHO doesn’t include enough food categories.

Monitoring Australian salt intake
Australia follows the WHO benchmark in 27 out of the 58 packaged food categories currently defined by the health organization.

“The WHO sodium benchmarks are above and beyond the Australian government’s sodium reformulation targets,” says Dr. Kathy Trieu, co-author of the study.

“Our findings indicate that compliance with WHO benchmarks compared with Australia’s current sodium targets may result in substantial health gains and prevent more than three times as many deaths and new cases of disease each year,” she continues.

If Australia were to reach the 58 categories, 404 mg of sodium per day could be cut from Australian diets, and mortality would be reduced by the mentioned 1,770 lives per year.

In a previous study, Dr. Trieu found that reducing 107 mg per day per person of sodium intake may avert 500 deaths per year.Cutting 0.1 g of sodium can save 500 lives
In a previous study, Dr. Trieu found that cutting 107 mg per day per person of sodium intake may avert about 500 deaths, 1,900 cardiovascular diseases, chronic kidney disease and stomach cancer each year.

There is a margin to cut on sodium, as the average US person – for example – eats 3.4 g per day, almost 50% over the US Department of Agriculture recommendation of 2.3 g per day and the 2 g per day recommendation by WHO.

WHO member states have agreed to target a 30% sodium reduction in diets by 2025. 

“Salt intake of fewer than 5 grams per day for adults helps to reduce blood pressure and risk of cardiovascular disease, stroke and coronary heart attack. The principal benefit of lowering salt intake is a corresponding reduction in high blood pressure,” according to WHO.

Not a bland fight
Salt, the primary source of sodium in our diet, is always on the mind of formulators and health organizations looking to improve health outcomes.

UK pediatrics are urging the countries’ government to implement mandatory guidelines on the amount of sugar and salt that baby food can contain amid reports of alarming amounts in everyday products. 

In December 2022, organizations including Action on Sugar and Action on Salt called on the private sector to accelerate its sugar reduction efforts while questioning the effectiveness of a voluntary program rather than regulatory implementations.

Meanwhile, a mouse model study has revealed that high amounts of salt in diets can make humans stressed by significantly increasing corticosterone – the equivalent of corticosteroid, the so-called “stress hormone.”

In China, experts flag that cutting salt intake by just one gram per day could save four million lives in China by 2030.

In industry moves, Kerry is reducing the salt content in its TasteSense portfolio, Lallemand touts fermentation as a technology that can help formulators reduce salt content in their products and Kirin Holding is using electrified spoons to enhance saltiness perceptions.

By Marc Cervera