Six more companies join National Salt Reduction Initiative

By Caroline Scott-Thomas

- Last updated on GMT

Related tags New york city Nutrition

Another six companies have joined the National Salt Reduction Initiative, boosting the New York City-led program intended to cut salt in packaged and restaurant foods across the United States by 25 percent in five years.

The companies that joined the initiative on Tuesday are Butterball, Hostess, Snyder’s of Hanover, Premio, Furmano’s and Delhaize America, bringing the total number of major food manufacturers involved in the program to 22, alongside 32 local and state health departments and 25 other partners.

The National Salt Reduction Initiative (NSRI) is a partnership of cities, companies and national health organizations led by New York City health officials to promote a voluntary sodium reduction program. It is based on a British scheme with specific targets for various food categories, considering each separately, bearing in mind the 25 percent overall reduction target, as well as specific technical challenges in individual categories.

Under their new commitments to the program, Butterball has said it will meet the NSRI targets in deli meat and hot dogs; Delhaize America committed to reducing sodium levels across 22 packaged food categories, including frozen pizza, cereal and butter; Furmano’s will cut salt in canned beans, baked beans and tomatoes; Hostess has committed to reducing salt in all its bread products; Premio said it will cut salt in its uncooked sausages; and Snyder’s of Hanover, which already meets the NSRI target for pretzels, has said it will now cut salt in its unflavored chips.

Meanwhile, the NSRI also announced that Heinz would extend its commitment to include frozen pizzas and entrees. Heinz had originally committed to sodium reduction targets in its ketchup and Classico tomato sauce.

Vice president of bread marketing at Hostess Brands Stephany Verstraete said: “We know consumers are making healthier choices. We want our brand brands to be among these choices and we are working hard to produce great tasting, healthier products from brands they know and trust."

If successful in meeting the 25 percent target across all foods, the NSRI claims that it could cut the nation’s salt intake by 20 percent and prevent up to 800,000 premature deaths per year nationwide and 23,000 deaths in New York City alone.

The sodium in salt is thought to be a contributor to high blood pressure, which in turn has been linked to higher risk of heart attack and stroke, the nation’s leading causes of preventable death.

Speaking at the American Dietetic Association (ADA) Food and Nutrition Conference and Expo earlier this month, director of nutrition policy at the New York City department of health and mental hygiene Christine Johnson said that companies’ reduction of sodium in their products is next due to be assessed in January. Meanwhile, New York City urine samples are currently being analyzed for sodium content.

Although Americans consume nearly twice the recommended limit of salt each day, very little of the sodium in the national diet comes from saltshakers; an estimated 70 to 80 percent is added to foods before purchase.

Related news

Show more

Related products

show more

Future Food-Tech San Francisco, March 21-22, 2024

Future Food-Tech San Francisco, March 21-22, 2024

Content provided by Rethink Events Ltd | 11-Jan-2024 | Event Programme

Future Food-Tech is the go-to meeting place for the food-tech industry to collaborate towards a healthier food system for people and planet.

Palate Predictions: Top Flavor Trends for 2024

Palate Predictions: Top Flavor Trends for 2024

Content provided by T. Hasegawa USA | 08-Jan-2024 | Application Note

As consumers seek increased value and experience from food and beverages, the industry relies on research to predict category trends. Studying trends that...

White Paper: Solving for Sugar Reduction

White Paper: Solving for Sugar Reduction

Content provided by ADM: Innovation that Feeds the Future | 02-Nov-2023 | White Paper

Sugar does more than provide sweetness. It is a foundational ingredient, contributing to texture, color, and mouthfeel while also providing the necessary...

Related suppliers

Follow us

Products

View more

Webinars