Manufacturers do not reveal the source of sodium in the ingredient list, says researcher
If you think your are making an informed choice by meticulously going through the ingredient labels on the back cover of food products, then your must brace yourself for some disappointment. The amount of sodium (common salt) officially declared will invariably be high when actually analysed in a laboratory.
What does this means to the consumer?
“This means that the product has misleading information. Manufacturing companies are not displaying the analysed values of sodium, potassium or any other ingredients like protein or fibre. They simply put the calculated values of such ingredients, which misleads consumers,” says assistant professor, M.S. University, Vadodara, Dr. Suneeta S. Chandorkar.
The food researcher, who had conducted a study on 154 food products (popular brands) to find and analyse the reported nutrient values, says that persons who try to avoid sodium end up consuming more because the analysed values are more than the reported ones.
“We are supposed to consume about 5 grams of sodium per day. However, we end up consuming anywhere between 8.5 grams to 10 grams per day, which is definitely on the higher side,” says Dr. Chandorkar.
The food scientist – who had presented a paper on the presence of sodium in commonly consumed processed packaged food in the recent Food Data Conference held at National Institute of Nutrition (NIN) – says that there are food manufacturers that do not reveal the source of sodium in the ingredient list.
“There are numerous food products that are made with baking powder, black salt and other alternate sources. Food labels do not display the exact amount of salt that has gone into manufacturing products that are made up of such sources. This is keeping the customers in the dark. We have approached with FSSAI with the issue,” Dr. Chandorkar said.
According to the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI), it’s mandatory for food manufacturers to provide information on ingredients, allergens, natural or artificial colours and flavours and nutrition content on the nutrition fact panel.
A study on 154 products revealed that the ‘analysed sodium content was found to be higher than the reported values in cereal and milk-based baby foods, papads, noodles, pasta and macaroni, malted beverages, juices, canned fruits, jam, marmalades and jellies, butter and cheese, and spreads and dips’.
What is the way forward?
“In order to cut down the sodium content and increase potassium content in the diet, reformulation on the part of food manufacturers, strict regulations and monitoring by regulatory agencies and awareness among consumers is required to contain the epidemic of hypertension and related disorders,” the study concluded.
Some key findings
Broad food categories that are very high on sodium content: noodles, pasta and macaroni, soups, butter and cheese, ready-to-use spice mix. Of the total products analysed (n=154), 78 per cent had higher sodium content than potassium, 20 per cent had higher potassium than sodium and 2 per cent of the products had equal sodium and potassium content.
All the products from the food categories, namely pickles, papads, noodles, pasta and macaroni, salty biscuits, cakes, soft drinks, juices, ketchups and sauces, soups, ready-to-use spice mix, butter and cheese, and spreads and dips had higher sodium content. Food products that were high in sodium content had ‘edible common salt’, ‘iodised salt’, etc., as the source.
If you think your are making an informed choice by meticulously going through the ingredient labels on the back cover of food products, then your must brace yourself for some disappointment. The amount of sodium (common salt) officially declared will invariably be high when actually analysed in a laboratory.
What does this means to the consumer?
“This means that the product has misleading information. Manufacturing companies are not displaying the analysed values of sodium, potassium or any other ingredients like protein or fibre. They simply put the calculated values of such ingredients, which misleads consumers,” says assistant professor, M.S. University, Vadodara, Dr. Suneeta S. Chandorkar.
The food researcher, who had conducted a study on 154 food products (popular brands) to find and analyse the reported nutrient values, says that persons who try to avoid sodium end up consuming more because the analysed values are more than the reported ones.
“We are supposed to consume about 5 grams of sodium per day. However, we end up consuming anywhere between 8.5 grams to 10 grams per day, which is definitely on the higher side,” says Dr. Chandorkar.
The food scientist – who had presented a paper on the presence of sodium in commonly consumed processed packaged food in the recent Food Data Conference held at National Institute of Nutrition (NIN) – says that there are food manufacturers that do not reveal the source of sodium in the ingredient list.
“There are numerous food products that are made with baking powder, black salt and other alternate sources. Food labels do not display the exact amount of salt that has gone into manufacturing products that are made up of such sources. This is keeping the customers in the dark. We have approached with FSSAI with the issue,” Dr. Chandorkar said.
According to the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI), it’s mandatory for food manufacturers to provide information on ingredients, allergens, natural or artificial colours and flavours and nutrition content on the nutrition fact panel.
A study on 154 products revealed that the ‘analysed sodium content was found to be higher than the reported values in cereal and milk-based baby foods, papads, noodles, pasta and macaroni, malted beverages, juices, canned fruits, jam, marmalades and jellies, butter and cheese, and spreads and dips’.
What is the way forward?
“In order to cut down the sodium content and increase potassium content in the diet, reformulation on the part of food manufacturers, strict regulations and monitoring by regulatory agencies and awareness among consumers is required to contain the epidemic of hypertension and related disorders,” the study concluded.
Some key findings
Broad food categories that are very high on sodium content: noodles, pasta and macaroni, soups, butter and cheese, ready-to-use spice mix. Of the total products analysed (n=154), 78 per cent had higher sodium content than potassium, 20 per cent had higher potassium than sodium and 2 per cent of the products had equal sodium and potassium content.
All the products from the food categories, namely pickles, papads, noodles, pasta and macaroni, salty biscuits, cakes, soft drinks, juices, ketchups and sauces, soups, ready-to-use spice mix, butter and cheese, and spreads and dips had higher sodium content. Food products that were high in sodium content had ‘edible common salt’, ‘iodised salt’, etc., as the source.
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