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Onus to cut salt on food industry

The first-ever Government guidelines for reducing children's salt consumption will be hard for most parents and carers to enforce without a significant cut in the salt content of processed foods, campaigners have warned. The Food Standards Agency last week advised that babies aged seven to 12 months should consume no more than one gram per day, children between one and three two grams a day, and four- to six-year-olds three grams a day, rising to six grams for children aged 11 to 14. But independent watchdog the Food Commis- sion, while welcoming the move, warned that the food and drinks industry had blocked all previous attempts by the Government to set limits on salt content.
The first-ever Government guidelines for reducing children's salt consumption will be hard for most parents and carers to enforce without a significant cut in the salt content of processed foods, campaigners have warned.

The Food Standards Agency last week advised that babies aged seven to 12 months should consume no more than one gram per day, children between one and three two grams a day, and four- to six-year-olds three grams a day, rising to six grams for children aged 11 to 14. But independent watchdog the Food Commis- sion, while welcoming the move, warned that the food and drinks industry had blocked all previous attempts by the Government to set limits on salt content.

The Commission's nutritionist, Annie Seeley, said, 'A reduction in salt consumption is vital for the nation's health. But we must see a genuine commitment from the food industry to reduce levels of salt in processed foods if we are to make any significant impact on diet-related stroke and heart disease in the UK.'

The lobby group Consensus Action on Salt and Health (CASH) added, 'As 80 per cent of our current salt intake now comes from salt hidden in processed fast food, canteen and restaurant food, individuals cannot make the reduction themselves. This means that the salt concentration of all processed foods must be reduced by at least 50 per cent.'

CASH pointed out that the recommendation from the Scientific Advisory Committee on Nutrition (SACN) to halve salt intake from ten or 12 grams a day to six grams a day for adults was originally made ten years ago, but was rejected by the last Conservative government after pressure from the food industry.

The launch of the guidelines coincided with a pledge from the Food and Drink Federation to press for an industry-wide programme aimed at reducing salt by cutting sodium levels in breakfast cereals, soups and sauces. The SACN report said sodium was a key factor in links between salt and high blood pressure.

The Food Commission has compiled a list of typical children's snack foods and their salt content. At the top is the Golden Vale Cheese Company's Chees- trings Attack-a-Snack, which has four grams of salt per single portion - more than the recommended daily intake for a six- year-old child.