A recent urgent report by Action on Salt (AoS) has raised the alarm on levels of sodium in British cheddar and similar hard-pressed cheeses. As one of the most widely consumed staple foods, the salt in cheese has a massive impact on public health in the UK.
In the UK, over 7.8kg of cheese is purchased per person each year. This volume means that cheese contributes 6% of the average daily salt intake. The AoS research focused on cheddar because it is the most popular UK cheese category, representing more than half of all cheese sold in Britain.
Despite the Food Standards Agency first setting salt reduction targets in 2006, the latest report finds that the average salt content in cheese has not been reduced since that time.
Although the World Health Organistation (WHO) assigns two separate sodium benchmarks for mild and mature cheddar, the AoS study found no correlation between the maturity of the cheddar and the average salt content.
Cheddar labelled as Extra Mature and Mild both had similar high salt content of about 1.78g per 100g. This exceeds the WHO sodium benchmark by about 37%.
The report highlights that an estimated 1.89 million deaths each year are associated with excessive salt consumption globally. A high-sodium diet is a major risk factor for cardiovascular disease, gastric cancer, osteoporosis and kidney disease.
Seven UK brands were found to sell cheeses that exceed the maximum salt target for hard-pressed cheeses. These include several leading supermarkets: Aldi, Asda, Lidl, Marks & Spencer, and Tesco. With the market share of supermarket own-brand foods expanding, it’s a serious problem that many of these products are dangerously high in salt.
It is a growing concern that some of the UK’s highest salt level cheeses are currently among the “healthier” Better-for-you options. This highlights the work needed to reduce salt in the Better-for-you sector, which often focuses on reducing fat and carbs, but grossly overlooks salt.
What can be done to reduce salt in cheese?
It’s clear that action is needed to address the problem of excessive salt in Britain’s favourite cheeses. But how?
Salt is a crucial ingredient for producing hard cheeses. Without it, cheese is unable to mature correctly and safely. However, the WHO notes that it is not necessary for British dairy producers to use as much salt as they do.
Here is the solution…
Instead of using traditional PDV salt, dairy producers in the UK and Ireland could opt for salts with naturally less sodium – such as SALTWELL®
SALTWELL® is a naturally occurring and clean-label salt which not only achieves a substantial reduction in sodium but also preserves the expected salty flavour desired by consumers. Additionally, it fulfils the techno-functional requirements essential for dairy producers to make cheese.
International studies and NPD utilising SALTWELL® have successfully lowered sodium in large-scale commercial hard cheese production, verifying at least a 25% reduction in salt is feasible. All trials concluded that this could be achieved with no changes to production methods or processes and no noticeable differences in the organoleptic or techno-functional properties of the finished cheese (e.g. taste, melt, sliceability, shelf life/food safety).
SALTWELL® is a convenient method for delivering salt reduction in cheese without compromising on function, flavour or process changes. SALTWELL® tastes just like salt, because it is salt – it’s an exceptional naturally-occurring salt containing significantly less sodium. A straightforward 1:1 swap with PDV salt in formulation is all it takes to significantly reduce sodium levels in cheese product ranges.
As a trusted and certified long-term partner to the food manufacturing industry, SALTWELL® is used worldwide. It is fully certified with international food grade credentials and universally accepted in all markets.
SALTWELL® is a great solution and reliable partner for achieving clean label salt reduction – helping delivering a nutritionally improved product with the same delicious flavour.
While organisations like Action on Salt continue to advocate for stricter salt reduction targets, and both governments and consumers actively seek healthier food options, it’s time for the UK dairy industry to modernise and reformulate hard cheeses with public health in mind.
To find out more about how SALTWELL® can support your sodium reduction goals, get in touch. If you’re a food industry professional, you can order a sample here too.
