How a slice of bread can be as salty as a pack of CRISPS trends now
The nation's daily bread could be putting health at risk with just one slice of many popular brands containing as much salt as a pack of ready salted crisps.
The details come from health campaigners who say high consumption of salt - often through processed foods - is fuelling high blood pressure, strokes and other illnesses.
Action on Salt says many big brands and supermarkets are failing to deliver on promises to make significant salt reductions in bread and other products.
The group, which surveyed 242 pre-packaged loaves of sliced bread, found three in four contained as much salt or more per slice than the 0.34g found in a packet of ready salted crisps.
Five products contain 0.9g or more salt in a typical serving of two slices, which works out at a higher amount than the 0.88g found in two small portions of fries from McDonald's.
The group, which surveyed 242 pre-packaged loaves of sliced bread, found three in four contained as much salt or more per slice than the 0.34g found in a packet of ready salted crisps
Public Health England has set voluntary salt reduction targets for the 'Bread and Rolls' category, which are set at a maximum of 0.85g per 100g (average across product type) and 1.01g per 100g for an individual product. The target date for achieving this is 2024.
Several products in the survey came in at higher than this, including Hovis White with Starter Dough, containing 1.48g of salt per 100g. At the same time, Hovis Granary came in at 1.28g, Hovis Seeded Bread at 1.24g, and Hovis Thick White at 1.2g.
The Polish Bakery Baltonowski Premium Bread, Chleb Baltonowski, scored 1.3g, while Schneider Brot Whole Grain Rye Bread had 1.15g of salt per 100g of bread.
Two from M&S, its Thick White Super Soft Loaf and The Bakery Soft Golden Wholemeal Farmhouse, came in at 1.03g.
Action on Salt is urging Prime Minister Rishi Sunak to follow other countries around the world by setting mandatory salt reduction targets rather than relying on voluntary efforts and promises from manufacturers.
Graham MacGregor, professor of cardiovascular medicine at Queen Mary University of London and Action on Salt chairman, said: 'Reducing salt is the most cost-effective measure to lower blood pressure and reduce the number of people dying and suffering from strokes and heart disease.
'It's therefore a disgrace that food companies continue to fill our food with so much unnecessary salt, as shown here in bread.
'For too long the food industry have been in charge of public health, at our expense; it's time for the Government to stop