A reduction of just 3g a day in salt intake by Irish people could result in a 13 per cent reduction in the incidence of stroke and a 10 per cent reduction in heart attacks, thus preventing 900 deaths a year in Ireland, a medical expert has revealed.
Prof Ivan Perry of the Department of Epidemiology and Public Health at University College Cork said a reduction in salt intake could have a significant impact on blood pressure levels across the Irish population with a resultant reduction in coronary illness. "Public awareness of the effects of salt on health has increased in recent years and there is now a significant opportunity for the food sector to respond to consumer demand on this issue by gradually reducing the salt content of processed food," he said.
Prof Perry was speaking in advance of the launch by the World Health Organisation of its World Action on Salt and Health campaign this week, which aims to put pressure on multinational food companies to reduce the salt content in their produce.
According to Prof Perry, Irish food companies have begun a serious engagement with the Food Safety Authority of Ireland (FSAI) with a view to reducing the salt content of their products: "The Food Safety Authority of Ireland has a five to 10-year programme aimed at reducing salt intake levels from 10g a day to 6g a day - the body actually requires only 2g a day but it's felt that 6g a day is an achievable target in that time frame," he said.
Prof Perry said it was estimated that 15-20 per cent of total dietary sodium intake was from people adding salt during cooking or at the table, with 15 per cent coming from naturally occurring sodium in unprocessed foods and about 65-70 per cent coming from manufactured foods.
"Two food groups, meat and fish, in particular processed meat, and bread account for over 50 per cent of sodium intake from foods, with the remainder contributed by various other processed foods," he said.
According to Prof Perry, improvements have been made in the cereal sector: "Salt levels in breakfast cereals are way beyond any food technology requirements. Rice Krispies for example - take the analogy that the salt content was at sea water levels or higher - over the last five years, the salt content is now at 75 per cent of sea level concentration."
Prof Perry said a report last year by the FSAI said consideration should be given to the mandatory labelling of foods with salt content above a specific threshold as "high salt", while EU legislation sets clear guidelines for the use of claims such as "low salt" or "reduced salt".