Food Safety
search
cart
facebook twitter linkedin
  • Sign In
  • Create Account
  • Sign Out
  • My Account
Food Safety
  • NEWS
    • Latest News
    • White Papers
  • PRODUCTS
  • TOPICS
    • Contamination Control
    • Food Types
    • Management
    • Process Control
    • Regulatory
    • Sanitation
    • Supply Chain
    • Testing and Analysis
  • PODCAST
  • EXCLUSIVES
    • Food Safety Five Newsreel
    • eBooks
    • FSM Distinguished Service Award
    • Interactive Product Spotlights
    • Videos
  • BUYER'S GUIDE
  • MORE
    • ENEWSLETTER >
      • Archive Issues
      • Subscribe to eNews
    • Store
    • Sponsor Insights
  • WEBINARS
  • FOOD SAFETY SUMMIT
  • EMAG
    • eMagazine
    • Archive Issues
    • Editorial Advisory Board
    • Contact
    • Advertise
  • SIGN UP!
News

FSAI: Irish Consumers’ Salt Intake Still Too High

November 3, 2016

Today, the Food Safety Authority of Ireland (FSAI) published an update of its annual salt monitoring program, now in it’s 13th year.

This year’s program analyzed 530 samples of processed food including processed meats, breads, breakfast cereals and spreadable fats. The FSAI did find reduced levels of salt across all four food categories, particularly in cereal products, which appear to have the largest decreases in salt levels. Ireland's salt reduction levels were reported as follows:

Processed Meats:

  • Rashers (bacon)          -27%
  • Cooked ham               -15%
  • Sausage products      -11%

Breads:

  • White bread               -17%
  • Wholemeal bread         -25%
  • Wholegrain bread         -29%
  • Specialty products        -42%

Breakfast Cereals:

  • Cornflake based           -63%
  • Rice based                   -48%
  • Bran based                   -39%
  • Multigrain cereal           -38%

Spreadable Fats:

  • Blended spread (>62%, but <80% fat)       -29%
  • All blends and blended spreads                 -27%

Despite less salt in the foods examined, the average salt intake of Irish consumers still exceeds the World Health Organization’s recommended 5 grams of salt per day, according to Wayne Anderson, FSAI’s director of food science and standards. Currently, Irish men eat 11.1 grams of salt per day while Irish women consume 8.5 grams per day.

“Salt plays an important role in the diet, but people in Ireland are simply eating too much of it and this increases the risk of developing cardiovascular diseases. The addition of salt at the table or in cooking by consumers can represent up to 20 percent to 30 percent of a person’s total salt intake.” says Anderson. “If you are unsure about the level of salt you are consuming in any product please refer to the nutrition labelling Reference Intake (RI) which will give you the percentage of RI per portion of food.”

To combat high salt intake and the associated health risks, FSAI asks consumers to read product labels for information on salt content, and to reduce the amount of salt they add in their cooking and food seasoning.

The FSAI believes that the reformulation of foods must be driven by the industry, with the FSAI continuing its independent monitoring of levels.

   “Overall we are satisfied with the latest salt reductions and this outlines Irish manufacturers’ commitment and positive contribution being made to tackle health issues. Going into the future, the industry needs to pursue further research and development to achieve further reductions where possible,” says Anderson.

Related article:
FDA and Salt in the American Diet: An Ongoing Saga

Sign up for Food Safety Magazine’s bi-weekly emails!

 


Author(s): Staff

Share This Story

Looking for a reprint of this article?
From high-res PDFs to custom plaques, order your copy today!

Recommended Content

JOIN TODAY
to unlock your recommendations.

Already have an account? Sign In

  • people holding baby chicks

    Serovar Differences Matter: Utility of Deep Serotyping in Broiler Production and Processing

    This article discusses the significance of Salmonella in...
    Meat/Poultry
    By: Nikki Shariat Ph.D.
  • woman washing hands

    Building a Culture of Hygiene in the Food Processing Plant

    Everyone entering a food processing facility needs to...
    Personal Hygiene/Handwashing
    By: Richard F. Stier, M.S.
  • graphical representation of earth over dirt

    Climate Change and Emerging Risks to Food Safety: Building Climate Resilience

    This article examines the multifaceted threats to food...
    International
    By: Maria Cristina Tirado Ph.D., D.V.M. and Shamini Albert Raj M.A.
Subscribe For Free!
  • eMagazine Subscription
  • Subscribe to eNewsletter
  • Manage My Preferences
  • Website Registration
  • Subscription Customer Service

More Videos

Sponsored Content

Sponsored Content is a special paid section where industry companies provide high quality, objective, non-commercial content around topics of interest to the Food Safety Magazine audience. All Sponsored Content is supplied by the advertising company and any opinions expressed in this article are those of the author and not necessarily reflect the views of Food Safety Magazine or its parent company, BNP Media. Interested in participating in our Sponsored Content section? Contact your local rep!

close
  • Two men standing in a produce storage facility having a discussion.
    Sponsored byOrkin Commercial

    Staying Compliant With FSMA

  • Deli Salads
    Sponsored byCorbion

    How Food Safety is Becoming the Ultimate Differentiator in Refrigerated and Prepared Foods

Popular Stories

Image of produce being washed on a conveyor belt in a facility

Science in Action: How Nanobubbles Are Advancing Food Safety Standards

FoodSafetyMattersFinal-900x550-(002).jpg

Ep. 195. Dr. Christopher Daubert: The Value of a Food Science Education

Students returning their lunch trays in a cafeteria

California Bill Would Remove Ultra-Processed Foods from School Lunches

Events

June 26, 2025

How to Design and Conduct Challenge Studies for Safer Products and Longer Shelf Life

Live: June 26, 2025 at 2:00 pm EDT: During this webinar, attendees will learn how to conduct challenge studies for microbial spoilage and pathogen growth, including the common challenges encountered, laboratory selection, and use of predictive models.

May 11, 2026

The Food Safety Summit

Stay informed on the latest food safety trends, innovations, emerging challenges, and expert analysis. Leave the Summit with actionable insights ready to drive measurable improvements in your organization. Do not miss this opportunity to learn from experts about contamination control, food safety culture, regulations, sanitation, supply chain traceability, and so much more.

View All

Products

Global Food Safety Microbial Interventions and Molecular Advancements

Global Food Safety Microbial Interventions and Molecular Advancements

See More Products
Environmental Monitoring Excellence eBook

Related Articles

  • Irish Horse Meat Contamination Issue Affects Consumers' Buying Behavior

    See More
  • Infant Arsenic Levels Still High After FDA’s Proposed Limit

    See More
  • Irish flag illustration

    Breaches of Food Safety Legislation Among Irish Businesses Increased by 19 Percent in 2023

    See More
×

Never miss the latest news and trends driving the food safety industry

eNewsletter | Website | eMagazine

JOIN TODAY!
  • RESOURCES
    • Advertise
    • Contact Us
    • Directories
    • Store
    • Want More
  • SIGN UP TODAY
    • Create Account
    • eMagazine
    • eNewsletter
    • Customer Service
    • Manage Preferences
  • SERVICES
    • Marketing Services
    • Reprints
    • Market Research
    • List Rental
    • Survey/Respondent Access
  • STAY CONNECTED
    • LinkedIn
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • X (Twitter)
  • PRIVACY
    • PRIVACY POLICY
    • TERMS & CONDITIONS
    • DO NOT SELL MY PERSONAL INFORMATION
    • PRIVACY REQUEST
    • ACCESSIBILITY

Copyright ©2025. All Rights Reserved BNP Media.

Design, CMS, Hosting & Web Development :: ePublishing