While Irish adults are eating less salt today compared to 10 years ago, they are still consuming more than the recommended daily intake of 6g, a seminar hosted by the Food Safety Authority of Ireland (FSAI) has been told.

Since 2003, the FSAI has been coordinating a salt reduction programme in partnership with the food industry and other relevant bodies such as Retail Ireland and Food and Drink industry Ireland (FDII). The aim of this programme has been to bring about a ‘voluntary, gradual and sustained reduction in the salt content of processed foods'.

Since these efforts began in 2003, the average daily consumption of salt by Irish adults has fallen by 1.1g. However, people are still consuming more than 6g per day, which is the daily recommended intake. Furthermore, up to 30% of this intake is due to the addition of salt at the table or during the cooking process.

The FSAI is again calling on consumers to opt for low-salt or salt-free options when buying processed foods and to cut back on discretionary salt use at the table and during cooking.

Commenting on this issue, FSAI chief executive, Prof Alan Reilly, noted that there have been big salt reductions in many food groups, particularly breads and breakfast cereals.

He also noted that the voluntary programme of salt reduction undertaken with the FSAI 'has always emphasised the need for industry to take responsibility for reducing salt in food and this partnership approach has yielded significant reductions'.

"The past 10 years of salt reduction has provided us with important lessons in how best to broach the issues related to the overall nutrient profile of our food and the impact that it is having on public health," he said.

However, he added that it is now time for the food industry ‘to drive its own programme of reformulation of all foods, with the FSAI maintaining its independent monitoring role'. As part of this, the FDII intends to monitor the impact of food reformulation over the past five years ‘and on an ongoing basis over the next five years'.

"We hope this will inform future policy approaches to key population health issues. It is intended that this work will be carried out in a collaborative initiative involving industry and the government over the coming five years," explained Shane Dempsey of FDII.