U.K. Ramps Up Program To Reduce Salt Intake

The British government has launched a major initiative to get consumers and the food industry to further reduce salt consumption. The goal of the initiative, spearheaded by the Department of Health, is to reach a long-term target of no more than six grams of salt per person per day. Health officials said 53 percent of Britons “rarely or never” think about salt content when buying food, though 86 percent know that eating too much salt is unhealthy. The initiative calls for revising the 2012 salt targets for the food industry by the end of the year; catering and take-out businesses to set new maximum salt targets for foods like sandwiches and chips; and food companies to provide more low-salt options.