§ Mr. ToddTo ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) what steps he is taking to encourage people to reduce their levels of salt consumption; [87411]
(2) what action he is taking to inform the public of risks associated with a diet with a high salt intake. [87645]
§ Ms JowellThe Government have issued healthy eating advice which mentions the risks associated with high salt intakes. It includes the recommendation to reduce levels of salt consumption by cutting down on salty foods and using less salt in cooking and at the table. To enable consumers to make an informed choice, the Government are encouraging manufacturers to include the level of both sodium and the salt equivalent on the labels of all pre-packed foods and pressing for this to become a requirement throughout the European Union.
The Government are also discussing with the food industry the scope for reducing the levels of salt in processed foods. Following initial discussions between the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food/Department of Health Joint Food Safety and Standards Group and the Food and Drink Federation ((FDF) acting for the food and drink manufacturing industry as a whole) the FDF has announced that it will be conducting a systematic review of the purpose and usage of sodium in manufactured foods. We welcome this review.