Too much salt in packaged bread

Verbraucherzentrale NRW: Too much salt in the bread

10/18/2012

Packaged bread often contains too much salt, according to a recent study by the Verbraucherzentrale Nordrhein-Westfalen (NRW). The high salt content I could have adverse effects on health, warn the consumer advocates.

The maximum amount of salt per day recommended by the German Nutrition Society is a maximum of six grams. However, consumption of industrially baked bread rapidly exceeds this value, according to the latest study by the Verbraucherzentrale NRW. For the health of increased salt intake can bring significant disadvantages. „Excessive consumption of saline is a poison for blood pressure and increases the risk of dangerous cardiovascular disease.“, reports the consumer center.

Bread provides up to two-thirds of the daily maximum salt
The high salt content is according to the message of the consumer center NRW not only with bread, but with most processed food a problem. Consumers are often unaware of the high salt content of the food they consume. Of the 274 breads from industrial production (67 wheat breads and buns, 65 wheat / rye mixed breads, 30 multigrain breads, 98 whole wheat breads and 14 pumpernickel breads), 213 contained more than 2 grams of salt per daily ration. „Anyone who consumes three to four slices of packaged bread from the supermarket or discounter per day will take on that amount“ in certain circumstances „already two thirds of the recommended daily dose of salt“, so the message of the consumer center NRW. It is the spread, such as sausage or cheese, not included.

Only a few loaves with a low salt content
With eleven packaged breads from the wheat, mixed and multigrain range, the salinity even reached according to the consumer advocates „three grams per day serving.“ Only the wholegrain variants have the consumer center NRW cut more compatible. Here was only a product of full grain and shot over salted significantly. According to the consumer advocates salinity of 1.1 grams of salt or 0.45 grams of sodium per 100 grams of bread would be ideal. However, this value is not reached for most prepackaged breads. Just „Nine loaves of bread (three percent) had a relatively low salt content, so that the usual amount of bread delivered a quarter or less of the maximum recommended amount of salt per day“, reports the consumer center NRW. In the interests of health, consumers should urgently seek a handle on these lower-salt alternatives. Overall, only 22 percent of the breads consumed less than a third of the daily maximum of six grams of salt when taking the usual daily portion of four slices of bread (approximately 178 grams).

Reduce salt content in breads
According to the recommendations of the Federal Institute for Risk Assessment (BfR), the bakery industry and trades should generally reduce the salt content in bread to 1.5 percent of the flour content, reports the NRW Consumer Center. If the bread bakers do not move voluntarily and refrain from a strong pinch of salt, according to the consumer protection „Limits for the salt content of various bread and bakery products will be set by law in the future.“ (Fp)

Picture: Paulwip