Assessing Changes in Sodium Content of Selected Popular Commercially Processed and Restaurant Foods: Results from the USDA: CDC Sentinel Foods Surveillance Program

Abstract

This report provides an update from the U.S. Department of Agriculture - Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Sentinel Foods Surveillance Program, exploring changes in sodium and related nutrients (energy, potassium, total and saturated fat, and total sugar) in popular, sodium-contributing, commercially processed and restaurant foods with added sodium. In 2010–2013, we obtained 3432 samples nationwide and chemically analyzed 1654 composites plus label information for 125 foods, to determine baseline laboratory and label sodium concentrations, respectively. In 2014–2017, we re-sampled and chemically analyzed 43 of the Sentinel Foods (1181 samples), tested for significant changes of at least ±10% (p < 0.05), in addition to tracking changes in labels for 108 Sentinel Foods. Our results show that the label sodium levels of a majority of the Sentinel Foods had not changed since baseline (~1/3rd of the products reported changes, with twice as many reductions as increases). Laboratory analyses of the 43 Sentinel Foods show that eight foods had significant changes (p < 0.05); sodium content continues to be high and variable, and there was no consistent pattern of changes in related nutrients. Comparisons of changes in labels and laboratory sodium shows consistency for 60% of the products, i.e., similar changes (or no changes) in laboratory and label sodium content. The data from this monitoring program may help public health officials to develop strategies to reduce and monitor sodium trends in the food supply.

Canned meat products for members of the Serbian armed forces: Na, K, Ca, and Mg content and health risks/benefits

“…Other studies show that the results published on canned meat products are minimal compared to fishery products and fresh and processed meat (not canned). Sodium concentrations in samples from other studies were similar to those in our research (Ahuja et al, 2019), even higher in some cases, as in Gillespie et al (2015), where the highest Na concentration was 11590 mg/kg. Bilandžić et al (2021) examined different types of products, including canned meat, where K and Ca concentrations were very similar to those in our work (1932 ± 435 mg/kg and 130 ± 74 mg/kg, respectively).…”

Sodium and Potassium Content of Foods Consumed in an Italian Population and the Impact of Adherence to a Mediterranean Diet on Their Intake

“…Finally, considering the ten-year gap between the time of population sampling and food analysis, we cannot entirely rule out that some changes over time may have occurred towards a sodium reduction and thus partially biased our estimates, especially due to a decrease in salt in processed foods [ 74 ]. Small, though still limited, changes in the sodium content of processed and restaurant foods appear to have occurred in more recent years [ 75 , 76 , 77 ]. However, the relatively low intake of processed and prepackaged foods in the study population, and the evidence that high sodium levels are still found in these products, despite efforts by the food industry in lowering its concentrations [ 78 ] suggests that our assessments are likely still currently valid.…”

Pyrraline Formation Modulated by Sodium Chloride and Controlled by Encapsulation with Different Coating Materials in the Maillard Reaction

“…Certain AGEs, such as CML and pyrraline, are likely to form at 120–200 °C [26,27,28]. Some studies [29,30,31,32,33] have reported that the sodium content (expressed as a percentage of mass concentration) ranges between 0.00% and 1.00% in foods, including packaged, commercially processed, and restaurant foods. Therefore, in this study, we used a temperature range of 140–180 °C and a sodium content of 0.00–1.00%.…”