The nation’s day by day bread could possibly be placing well being in danger with only one slice of many common manufacturers containing as a lot salt as a pack of prepared salted crisps.
The particulars come from well being campaigners who say excessive consumption of salt – typically by means of processed meals – is fuelling hypertension, strokes and different diseases.
Action on Salt says many huge manufacturers and supermarkets are failing to ship on guarantees to make vital salt reductions in bread and different merchandise.
The group, which surveyed 242 pre-packaged loaves of sliced bread, discovered three in 4 contained as a lot salt or extra per slice than the 0.34g present in a packet of prepared salted crisps.
Five merchandise include 0.9g or extra salt in a typical serving of two slices, which works out at a better quantity than the 0.88g present in two small parts of fries from McDonald’s.
The group, which surveyed 242 pre-packaged loaves of sliced bread, discovered three in 4 contained as a lot salt or extra per slice than the 0.34g present in a packet of prepared salted crisps
Public Health England has set voluntary salt discount targets for the ‘Bread and Rolls’ class, that are set at a most of 0.85g per 100g (common throughout product sort) and 1.01g per 100g for a person product. The goal date for attaining that is 2024.
Several merchandise within the survey got here in at larger than this, together with Hovis White with Starter Dough, containing 1.48g of salt per 100g. At the identical time, Hovis Granary got here in at 1.28g, Hovis Seeded Bread at 1.24g, and Hovis Thick White at 1.2g.
The Polish Bakery Baltonowski Premium Bread, Chleb Baltonowski, scored 1.3g, whereas Schneider Brot Whole Grain Rye Bread had 1.15g of salt per 100g of bread.
Two from M&S, its Thick White Super Soft Loaf and The Bakery Soft Golden Wholemeal Farmhouse, got here in at 1.03g.
Action on Salt is urging Prime Minister Rishi Sunak to observe different international locations around the globe by setting necessary salt discount targets fairly than counting on voluntary efforts and guarantees from producers.
Graham MacGregor, professor of cardiovascular drugs at Queen Mary University of London and Action on Salt chairman, stated: ‘Reducing salt is essentially the most cost-effective measure to decrease blood strain and scale back the variety of individuals dying and affected by strokes and coronary heart illness.
‘It’s subsequently a shame that meals firms proceed to fill our meals with a lot pointless salt, as proven right here in bread.
‘For too lengthy the meals business have been answerable for public well being, at our expense; it is time for the Government to cease letting individuals die needlessly.’
Chief Executive of the Federation of Bakers, Andrew Pyne, stated: ‘Overall the bread and bakery class has been very profitable in lowering the quantity of salt in bread. Over the previous 10 years the business has achieved as much as a 30 per cent discount in salt.
‘Whilst the business continues to do all it might to minimise the quantity of salt in bread, you will need to observe that salt is added to bread to enhance texture, flavour and improve its maintaining properties, which is why additional reductions are very difficult for the bread business as salt has a major technological position in bread-making.’
M&S stated: ‘We make wholesome consuming simpler by means of clear on-pack labelling, together with our Eat Well flower to signpost wholesome selections.
‘We naturally enrich all our pre-packaged sliced bread with vitamin D and fibre, and while salt is important for the fermentation course of, texture and shelf lifetime of our bread, we’re actively lowering salt to satisfy PHE 2024 salt targets.
‘This salt discount exercise is a part of our reformulation programme to repeatedly enhance the dietary profile of all our meals and we’re dedicated to delivering additional salt reductions throughout our ranges.’
THE WORST OFFENDERS
Hovis White Bread
Hovis White Bread
Price: £1.75
Size: 450g
Calories: 245
Fat: 1.7g
Salt: 1.48g
Sugar: 3.2g
Ingredients: Starter Dough (76%) (incorporates: Wheat Flour (with added Calcium, Iron, Vitamin B3, Vitamin B1), Water, Yeast, Sea Salt), Wheat Flour (with added Calcium, Iron, Vitamin B3, Vitamin B1), Water, Sea Salt, Durum Wheat Semolina, Fermented Wheat Flour, Yeast, Soya Flour, Wheat Malt Flour, Flour Treatment Agent: Ascorbic Acid (Vitamin C)
Crosta & Mollica Pane Pugliese Toasting Bread
Crosta & Mollica Pane Pugliese Toasting Bread
Price: £2.25
Size: 400g
Calories: 252
Fat: 1.2g
Salt: 1.3g
Sugar: 2.3g
Ingredients: Italian Reground Durum Wheat Semolina, Water, Yeast, Salt
The Polish Bakery Baltonowski Premium Bread – Chleb Baltonowski
The Polish Bakery Baltonowski Premium Bread – Chleb Baltonowski
Price: £1.85
Size: 800g
Calories: 252
Fat: 1.1g
Salt: 1.3g
Sugar: 0.4g
Ingredients: Wheat Flour (Wheat Flour, Calcium Carbonate, Iron, Nicotinamide (Vit B3), Thiamine Hydrochloride (Vit B1)), Water, Rye Sourdough (Rye Flour, Water, Starter Culture), Rye Flour, Wheat Sourdough (Wheat Flour, Water, Starter Culture), Yeast, Sea Salt, Rye Bran, Improver (Wheat Gluten, Wheat Flour, Rapeseed Oil, Flour Treatment Agent: Ascorbic Acid, Enzymes)
Hovis Granary
Hovis Granary
Price: £1.75
Size: 450g
Calories: 253
Fat: 1.6g
Salt: 1.28g
Sugar: 4.6g
Ingredients: Wheat Flour (with added Calcium, Iron, Vitamin B3, Vitamin B1), Starter Sough (28%) (incorporates: Wheat Flour, Water, Yeast, Sea Salt), Water, Yeast, Granary Malted Wheat Fakes (12%), Cut Wheat, Cut Rye, Sea Salt, Fermented Wheat Flour, Wheat Protein, Treacle, Caramelised Sugar, Soya Flour, Wheat Malt Flour, Flour Treatment Agent: Ascorbic Acid (Vitamin C)
Hovis Seeded Bread
Hovis Seeded Bread
Price: £1.75
Size: 450g
Calories: 280
Fat: 7.4g
Salt: 1.24g
Sugar: 3.4g
Ingredients: Wheat Flour (with added Calcium, Iron, Vitamin B3, Vitamin B1), Starter Dough (30%) (incorporates: Wheat Flour (with added Calcium, Iron, Vitamin B3, Vitamin BJ, Water, Yeast, Sea Salt), Water, Seed Mix (15%) (incorporates: Sunflower Seeds, Pumpkin Seeds, Toasted Sunflower Seeds, Toasted Brown Linseed, Millet Seeds, Poppy Seeds), Sea Salt, Yeast, Wheat Protein, Fermented Wheat Flour, Caramelised Sugar, Soya Flour, Wheat Malt Flour, Flour Treatment Agent: Ascorbic Acid (Vitamin C)
Bertinet Bakery White Sourdough
Bertinet Bakery White Sourdough
Price: £3.50
Size: 1kg
Calories: 234
Fat: 1.7g
Salt: 1.2g
Sugar: 1.8g
Ingredients: Flour (Wheat Flour, Calcium, Iron, Niacin, Thiamine), Water, Wholemeal Wheat Flour, Barley Flour, Organic Wholemeal Emmer Wheat Flour, Spelt Flour (Wheat), Sea Salt
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