A restaurant in London has been selling pizza saltier than sea water, according to new research by British health organisations.
The research shows that takeaway pizza contains up to two and a half times more salt than the average supermarket pizza.
A pepperoni pizza from the Adam & Eve restaurant in Mill Hill, London contained 10.57 grams of salt.
The 2.73 grams of salt per 100 grams means the food is saltier than Atlantic seawater, which is 2.5 grams of salt per 100 grams.
The restaurant said it has already changed its recipe to make its pizza less salty as a result of the survey.
The survey analysed 199 margherita and pepperoni pizzas, from takeaways, pizza chains and supermarkets across the country. Half of all takeaway pizzas surveyed contained the entire maximum daily recommendation of salt which is six grams.
Manufactured trans fat, which presents a serious health risk and can cause heart attacks and strokes, was found in 84 per cent of the takeaway pizzas.
The target for salt content in pizza set by the British department of health to be achieved by the end of 2012 is a maximum of 1.25 grams of salt per 100 grams. Only 16 per cent of the takeaway pizzas tested met this target compared to three quarters of the supermarket pizzas.
A Pizza Express margherita pizza from a supermarket contained almost half the amount of salt than the restaurant equivalent. However, despite containing a third less salt on average compared to takeaway pizzas, many supermarket pizzas were still classified as unhealthy. None of the surveyed supermarket pizzas were found to be low in salt, fat or saturated fat.
The survey by Consensus Action on Salt and Health (Cash) and the Association of London Environmental Health Managers (ALEHM) has been released as part of the annual Salt Awareness Week organised each year by Cash to help raise awareness about the damaging effect of too much salt.
PA