Bread + cereals: lower salt level «just the start»

Canberra / AU. (div) Some of Australia´s major bread and cereal manufacturers have agreed to lower the level of sodium contained in their products, in response to the Government´s concerns about the impact of salt on the health of Australian citizens. Under the plans, George Weston Foods, Goodman Fielder Baking, Allied Mills and Cripps Nubake, as well as retailers Woolworths, Coles and Aldi, have agreed to reduce sodium in bread products to 400 milligrams per 100 grams by the end of 2013. Other manufacturers, including Kelloggs, Sanitarium and Cereal Partners Worldwide, have also agreed to reduce sodium content by 15 percent over four years. The groups account for more than 80 percent of bread sales in Australia, and about 60 percent of ready-to-eat breakfast cereals. The agreement follows calls from health experts to lower salt levels, after a recent study showed that more than 70 percent of processed meats, cheeses and sauces in Australia contained unacceptably high sodium levels. While sauces and spreads contained the highest sodium content, breads and cereals were among the worst offenders when looking at foods as a proportion of the average diet. Garry Jennings of the Australian heart and diabetes institute Baker IDI said to local media the new targets were a welcome first step in the battle to reduce Australians´ salt intake, but said more should be done to bring restaurants and fast food outlets on board: «Research shows that one in three meals are eaten outside of the home now, so we need to reduce the salt in these foods too».