scholarly journals Salt content labelling of foods in supermarkets in Finland

1998 ◽  
Vol 7 (4) ◽  
pp. 447-453 ◽  
Author(s):  
M. NÄRHINEN ◽  
A. NISSINEN ◽  
P.-L. PENTTILÄ
Keyword(s):  
Salt Intake ◽  
Salt Content ◽  
Food Products ◽  
Point Of View ◽  
Food Chains ◽  
Food Groups ◽  
Food Labels ◽  
The Public ◽  
Reduced Salt ◽  
Packaged Food

The aim of the study was to assess the extent to which lightly salted food products are included in the assortments of Finnish supermarkets and prominently placed on shelves. The study was carried out in eastern Finland in four supermarkets of different food chains. Six food groups of importance for people's salt intake were considered. The food labels of 689 packaged food products were checked for salt and sodium information on the basis of Finnish regulations on salt. Products with reduced salt contents were found in most food groups but not among whole-meat or ready-to-eat foods. Half of the products with reduced amounts of salt were labelled "lightly salted". All four supermarkets had a similar assortment of lightly salted products. From the public health point of view, the food industry should increase the supply of lightly salted products, and make a special effort to develop lightly salted ready-to-eat foods.

scholarly journals A Survey on Salt Content Labeling of the Processed Food Available in Malaysia

2020 ◽  
Vol 17 (7) ◽  
pp. 2469
Author(s):  
Hasnah Haron ◽  
Ivy Hiew ◽  
Suzana Shahar ◽  
Viola Michael ◽  
Rashidah Ambak
Keyword(s):  
Salt Intake ◽  
Salt Content ◽  
Reference Value ◽  
Food Products ◽  
Food Group ◽  
Modern World ◽  
Processed Foods ◽  
Processed Food ◽  
Breakfast Cereal ◽  
High Salt Intake

Salt content in processed foods is high, and it is usually used as preservatives, stabilizers, and color enhancers in the products. Increased consumption of processed foods in the modern world has contributed to a high salt intake and thus increased the prevalence of hypertension among Malaysian populations. Therefore, this study aimed to identify and compare salt content in processed food products available in supermarkets and determine the percentage of processed food products exceeding the reference value stated in International Product Criteria (2016). The percentage of processed food products without salt and sodium labeling was determined in this study, in which 76.5% of unlabeled processed food products were made in Malaysia, while 23.5% were imported products. The food group with the highest average salt content was gravy and sauce (3.97 g/100 g), followed by soup (2.95 g/100 g), cheese (2.14 g/100 g), meat (1.37 g/100 g), fish (1.25 g/100 g), chicken (1.20 g/100 g), vegetables (1.18 g/100 g), butter and margarine (1.13 g/100 g), breakfast cereal (0.94 g/100 g), savory snacks (0.90 g/100 g), flatbread (0.86 g/100 g), sweet snacks (0.30 g/100 g), and potato (0.29 g/100 g). In addition, 79.5% of butter and margarine products had an average salt content above the reference value stated in the International Product Criteria, followed by gravy and sauce (79.3%), vegetables (72%), soup (50%), fish (49.2%), breakfast cereal (41%), cheese (36.6%), potato (36%), savory and sweet snacks (29.1), meat (12.5%) and chicken products (2.3%). Most processed food products available in local supermarkets were high in salt content.

scholarly journals Survey on salt content in selected food products of fast food restaurants and determination of salt intake awareness among fast food consumers in Klang Valley

2021 ◽  
Vol 27 (3) ◽  
Author(s):  
Zainorain Natasha Zainal Arifen ◽  
◽  
Nur Zakiah Mohd Saat ◽  
Hasnah Haron ◽  
◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Fast Food ◽  
Online Survey ◽  
Salt Intake ◽  
Salt Content ◽  
Food Products ◽  
Cross Sectional Study ◽  
High Salt ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
High Salt Content ◽  
Fast Food Restaurants

Introduction: Malaysians are exposed to a high salt diet, which is one of the contributors to the prevalence of hypertension among them. This study aimed to identify the salt content in selected food products of fast food restaurants and to determine the salt intake awareness among fast food consumers. Methods: Salt content data were collected through online survey from the official websites of selected restaurants (Kentucky Fried Chicken, McDonald’s, Subway® and Texas Chicken). The food products were classified into eight food categories (chickenbased, potato-based, rice-based, sandwich, salad, bread, dessert, and sauce). The cross-sectional study on salt intake awareness was conducted among 108 Malaysian adults from these restaurants. A knowledge, attitude and practice (KAP) questionnaire was disseminated online. The salt content and the consumers’ salt intake awareness were analysed using Statistical Products and Service Solution (SPSS) software version 25.0. Results: A total of 105 food products were surveyed in this study. Sauce products contained the highest salt content (1.9±0.8 g/100g), followed by bread (1.2±0.3 g/100g), potato-based (1.2±0.4 g/100g), chicken-based (1.2±0.3 g/100g), sandwich (1.1±0.6 g/100g), rice-based (0.7±0.3 g/100g), salad (0.4±0.2 g/100g), and dessert (0.3±0.4 g/100g). For the KAP study, a total of 108 consumers had participated and mostly (48.2%) had a fair level of salt intake awareness. Conclusion: Most food products of fast food restaurants contained high salt content and majority of fast food consumers had a fair level of salt intake awareness. More strategic interventions are needed to control the salt intake among adults in Malaysia

scholarly journals Analysis of Food Labels to Evaluate the Nutritional Quality of Bread Products and Substitutes Sold in Italy: Results from the Food Labelling of Italian Products (FLIP) Study

Foods ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 9 (12) ◽  
pp. 1905
Author(s):  
Donato Angelino ◽  
Alice Rosi ◽  
Emilia Ruggiero ◽  
Daniele Nucci ◽  
Gaetana Paolella ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Nutritional Quality ◽  
Salt Content ◽  
Point Of View ◽  
Strong Positive Correlation ◽  
Gluten Free ◽  
Food Labelling ◽  
Food Labels ◽  
Health Claim ◽  
Italian Market

Bread is one of the most common staple foods, despite the increasing consumption of the so-called “bread substitutes”. The aim of the present work is to survey the nutritional quality intended as a nutrition declaration of 339 pre-packed bread products and 1020 bread substitutes sold in the major retailers present on the Italian market. Comparisons of energy, macronutrient, and salt content within product types, and between regular and gluten-free (GF) products and products with or without nutrition claim (NC) and health claim (HC) declarations, were performed. A high inter-product variability was detected. The median energy contents were 274 (interquartile range 255–289) and 412 (380–437) kcal/100 for bread products and substitutes, respectively. Irrespective of the category, GF products had lower amounts of energy than their gluten-containing counterpart (p < 0.001), whereas products carrying NC had lower energy, sugar and salt amounts than the products without these declarations on the pack (p < 0.001 for all). A strong positive correlation was observed between energy and carbohydrate in bread (rho = 0.73, p < 0.001), but not in substitutes (rho = 0.033, p = 0.29). The present work highlighted a high variability in the apparent nutritional quality of bread products and substitutes sold on the Italian market, and suggested that bread alternatives should not be considered tout court as substitutes from a nutritional point of view.

scholarly journals Labelling the salt content in foods: a useful tool in reducing sodium intake in Finland

2008 ◽  
Vol 11 (4) ◽  
pp. 335-340 ◽  
Author(s):  
Pirjo Pietinen ◽  
Liisa M Valsta ◽  
Tero Hirvonen ◽  
Harri Sinkko
Keyword(s):  
Salt Intake ◽  
Sodium Intake ◽  
Adult Population ◽  
Salt Content ◽  
Sodium Content ◽  
Food Composition ◽  
Processed Meat ◽  
Food Groups ◽  
Public Health Importance ◽  
The Impact

AbstractObjectiveTo estimate the impact of choosing food products labelled either as low or high in salt on salt intake in the Finnish adult population.Setting and subjectsThe National FINDIET 2002 survey with 48-hour recalls from 2007 subjects aged 25–64 years. Sodium intake was calculated based on the Fineli® food composition database including the sodium content of natural and processed foods as well as the salt content of recipes. The distribution of salt intake was calculated in different ways: the present situation; assuming that all breads, cheeses, processed meat and fish, breakfast cereals and fat spreads consumed would be either ‘lightly salted’ or ‘heavily salted’ based on the current labelling practice; and, in addition, assuming that all foods would be prepared with 50% less or more salt.ResultsExcluding underreporters, the mean salt intake would be reduced by 1.8 g in men and by 1.0 g in women if the entire population were to choose lightly salted products and further by 2.5 and 1.8 g, respectively, if also salt used in cooking were halved. Choosing heavily salted products would increase salt intake by 2.1 g in men and by 1.4 g in women. In the worst scenarios, salt intake would be further increased by 2.3 g in men and by 1.6 g in women.ConclusionsThese calculations show that the potential impact of labelling and giving consumers the possibility to choose products with less salt is of public health importance. In addition, strategies to reduce the salt content of all food groups are needed.

scholarly journals Labelling completeness and sodium content of packaged foods in India

2017 ◽  
Vol 20 (16) ◽  
pp. 2839-2846 ◽  
Author(s):  
Claire Johnson ◽  
Sudhir Raj Thout ◽  
Sailesh Mohan ◽  
Elizabeth Dunford ◽  
Clare Farrand ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Food Products ◽  
Sodium Content ◽  
Nutritional Composition ◽  
Food Groups ◽  
Indian Government ◽  
Safety Standards ◽  
Department Of Health ◽  
Packaged Foods ◽  
The Uk ◽  
Packaged Food

AbstractObjectiveTo estimate the proportion of products meeting Indian government labelling regulations and to examine the Na levels in packaged foods sold in India.DesignNutritional composition data were collected from the labels of all packaged food products sold at Indian supermarkets in between 2012 and 2014. Proportions of products compliant with the Food Safety Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) regulations and labelled with Na content, and mean Na levels were calculated. Comparisons were made against 2010 data from Hyderabad and against the UK Department of Health (DoH) 2017 Na targets.SettingEleven large chain retail stores in Delhi and Hyderabad, India.SubjectsPackaged food products (n 5686) categorised into fourteen food groups, thirty-three food categories and ninety sub-categories.ResultsMore packaged food products (43 v. 34 %; P<0·001) were compliant with FSSAI regulations but less (32 v. 38 %; P<0·001) reported Na values compared with 2010. Food groups with the highest Na content were sauces and spreads (2217 mg/100 g) and convenience foods (1344 mg/100 g). Mean Na content in 2014 was higher in four food groups compared with 2010 and lower in none (P<0·05). Only 27 % of foods in sub-categories for which there are UK DoH benchmarks had Na levels below the targets.ConclusionsCompliance with nutrient labelling in India is improving but remains low. Many packaged food products have high levels of Na and there is no evidence that Indian packaged foods are becoming less salty.

scholarly journals Organic Food Products Labeling Innovation: The Case for Sustainable Food Consumption Behavior

2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
Daniel Adrian Gârdan ◽  
Ionel Dumitru ◽  
Ilić Dragan ◽  
Iuliana Petronela Gârdan ◽  
Mihai Andronie ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Food Consumption ◽  
Organic Food ◽  
Food Products ◽  
Point Of View ◽  
Exploratory Research ◽  
Food Labels ◽  
Cultural Economic ◽  
Sustainable Food ◽  
Adaptation Capacity ◽  
Present Context

The present context regarding development of the food products trade at European Union level presumes manifestation of some tendencies and challenges meant to claim at the highest level the adaptation capacity of economical agents - both producers and traders. Among these we can take into account their need to comply with organic product labeling standards as an integral part of food products safety policies at Union level. In order to be able to implement a proper label type, not only from the point of view of standards but especially from the perspective given by the consumers perception and motivation toward a healthy sustainable food consumption, producers have to constantly innovate, to find new design solutions for food products labels. This article propose an exploratory research in the form of a field survey that highlights the perceptions of Romanian and Serbian consumers, altogether from the urban environment in relation to organic food labeling and how they influence purchasing decision-making. A random number of 373 Serbian consumers&rsquo; questionnaires, respectively 1262 Romanian consumers&rsquo; questionnaires have been validated, the results showing interesting results from the point of view of national consumption profile differences due to different cultural, economic and social factors as well as different levels of integration within European economy for the both countries. Main conclusions of the research stress the fact that perceptions regarding organic food products labels are constructed around variables like: type of information to appear within the label, category of information that are missing from labels, degree of producers interest in proper labeling of organic food products, relevance of the information on the organic food labels as regards the decision to purchase the products etc. Conclusions propose some possible developments for innovative future characteristics for organic food products labels.

scholarly journals Reformulation of Romanian Meat Products and Cheeses: is this a Necessity for a Lower Salt Intake?

2011 ◽  
Vol 68 (2) ◽  
Author(s):  
Corina Aurelia ZUGRAVU ◽  
Monica PARVU ◽  
Monica TARCEA ◽  
Daniela PATRASCU ◽  
Anca STOIAN-PANTEA
Keyword(s):  
Salt Intake ◽  
Scientific Evidence ◽  
Salt Content ◽  
Daily Intake ◽  
Meat Products ◽  
Food Chains ◽  
Average Value ◽  
Salt Consumption ◽  
Increased Risk ◽  
Food Diaries

Reducing salt is a major task for companies all over the world. Scientific evidence has linked excessive salt consumption to increased risk of high blood pressure. The question we tried to answer to is if meat products and cheeses need to be reformulated, in order to bring down their salt content, taking in account the daily intake of cold cuts and diary products in our country. The intake was assessed by 7-days food diaries, completed by a representative sample of Romanians. The values used for the salt content were computed from data gathered in Romania since 2007. The average value of salt for Romanian cheeses is 2.4 g /100 g and for meat products, 2, 2 g /100 g. The food diaries showed that meat products and cheeses cover low percents of the daily salt intake (4%; 4%), with little variations between regions of the country. The present study concludes that cheeses and cold cuts, although consumed in all Romanian regions, have not a great contribution to the total salt intake in our country, so reformulation is not an emergency. However, the producers have to target in future a better management of the use of salt in the food chains, in the frame of advised descendent trends of the salt quantity introduced in human food. It has to be kept in mind that as long as the technological process allows it, every milligram of salt taken away from the product `s recipe is a helper of the consumer `s health.

scholarly journals ASSESMENT OF CONSUMER AWARENESS ABOUT USAGE OF FOOD LABELS AND ITS IMPACT ON FOOD BUYING BEHAVIOUR

2016 ◽  
Vol 4 (7) ◽  
pp. 10-19
Author(s):  
Virender Pal Kaur ◽  
Nirmal Kaur ◽  
Neha Qumar
Keyword(s):  
Uttar Pradesh ◽  
Food Products ◽  
Food Labeling ◽  
Food Labels ◽  
Food Label ◽  
Consumer Awareness ◽  
Research Attention ◽  
Packaged Foods ◽  
Types Of Information ◽  
Packaged Food

Food labeling enables consumers to make informed decisions when purchasing and consuming food products. Consumption of packaged food items has grown tremendously in the recent past. Despite this, the issue of consumer awareness about usage of food labeling information has attracted little research attention in developing countries. Food regulations and increased consumer awareness are forcing packaged food companies across the world to display more and more information on packaged food products. However, little is known about consumer response to such information in emerging economies. For this the data was collected with the help of interview schedule conducted amongst 60 respondents out of which 30 were male and 30 were females from higher education institutes of Pilibhit District of Uttar Pradesh. The study assesses the level of awareness about different categories of information generally displayed on food labels. The study also examines the usage of food labels information during purchase decisions of the respondents about packaged food. All 60 subjects had knowledge about food labels. Amongst male respondents 56.66 per cent were those who purchased packaged food more than once a week, 16.66 per cent purchased it once a week, 6.66 per cent purchased it once a month and 20 per cent purchased it occasionally which is quite similar as females. Gender was significantly associated with the frequency of buying packaged foods and reading food label. The usage of the information printed on packaged food was relatively high amongst the consumers while buying packaged food products. Despite a high frequency of purchasing packaged foods, the percentage of males and females reading food labels and components of food labels on a regular basis was found very less.  It is found that consumers in these three education institutes were fairly aware about the information provided on the food labels; though the level of awareness about different types of information varied. The results indicated that particular category of information was used more by the consumers while purchasing packaged food products. The results had very strong implications for researchers as well as the food companies.

Hungarian Diet and Nutritional Status Survey – The OTAP2009 study. IV. Macroelement intake of the Hungarian population

2012 ◽  
Vol 153 (29) ◽  
pp. 1132-1141 ◽  
Author(s):  
Éva Martos ◽  
Márta Bakacs ◽  
Eszter Sarkadi-Nagy ◽  
Tímea Ráczkevy ◽  
Andrea Zentai ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Public Health ◽  
Nutritional Status ◽  
Dietary Habits ◽  
Salt Intake ◽  
Salt Content ◽  
Point Of View ◽  
High Sodium ◽  
Salt Consumption ◽  
Hungarian Population ◽  
Status Survey

The adequate intake of minerals is basically important for healthy nutrition. Aim and method: The Hungarian Diet and Nutritional Status Survey – joining to the European Health Interview Survey – studied the dietary habits of the Hungarian population. The present publication describes the macroelement intake. Results: The salt intake is unusually high (17.2 g in men and 12.0 g in women), the potassium intake remains well below the recommendation. These factors substantially increase the risk of cardiovascular diseases including high blood-pressure. The calcium intake stays below the recommendation except in the youngest males, the oldest men and women are at risk from this point of view. While magnesium intake suited the recommendation, the intake of phosphorus exceeded it twice. Conclusions: Focusing on marcroelements, high sodium/salt intake represents the highest public health risk. The implementation of STOP SALT! National Salt Reducing Programme, i.e. decrease the salt content of processed food and provide proper information to the population about excessive salt consumption, should result in a beneficial change of salt intake and ameliorate the public health conditions. Orv. Hetil., 2012, 153, 1132–1141.

scholarly journals A label survey to identify ingredients potentially containing GM organisms to estimate intake exposure in Brazil

2018 ◽  
Vol 21 (14) ◽  
pp. 2698-2713 ◽  
Author(s):  
Rayza Dal Molin Cortese ◽  
Suellen Secchi Martinelli ◽  
Rafaela Karen Fabri ◽  
Rossana Pacheco da Costa Proença ◽  
Suzi Barletto Cavalli
Keyword(s):  
Food Products ◽  
Cross Sectional Study ◽  
Brazilian Population ◽  
Gm Crops ◽  
Food Labels ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Food Ingredients ◽  
Gm Foods ◽  
Packaged Food ◽  
By Products

AbstractObjectiveTo identify ingredients from products and by-products derived from GM crops in packaged food products and to analyse the presence of these ingredients in the foods most commonly consumed by the Brazilian population.DesignCross-sectional study.SettingA search of the scientific literature to identify the use of products and by-products derived from GM crops in foods in Brazil and a study of food labels in a supermarket belonging to one of the ten largest supermarket chains in Brazil.SubjectsTo identify the ingredients present in packaged food products and their nomenclatures, the labels of all packaged food products available for sale in a supermarket were analysed. Subsequently, the presence of potential GM ingredients in the foods most commonly consumed by the Brazilian population was analysed.ResultsA total of twenty-eight GM crops’ by-products with applications in the food industry (from soyabeans, corn, cotton and a yeast) were identified. Such by-products are presented as food ingredients or additives on food labels with 101 distinct nomenclatures. Most of the variety (63·8 %) and the quantity (64·5 %) of the foods most commonly consumed by Brazilians may contain a least one GM ingredient.ConclusionsThe presence of at least one potential GM ingredient was observed in more than half of the variety of foods most commonly consumed by the Brazilian population. Such ingredients were identified with distinct nomenclatures and incomplete descriptions, which may make it difficult to identify potential GM foods and confuse consumers when making food choices.

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