Changes in Average Sodium Content of Prepacked Foods in Slovenia during 2011–2015

Abstract

A voluntary gradual reduction in the salt content of processed foods was proposed Slovenia in 2010. Our objective was to determine the sodium content of prepacked foods in 2015 and to compare these results with data from 2011. Labelled sodium content and 12-month sales data were collected for prepacked foods (N = 5759) from major food stores in Slovenia. The average and sales-weighted sodium content, as well as the share in total sodium sales (STSS) were calculated for different food category levels, particularly focusing on processed meat and derivatives (STSS: 13.1%; 904 mg Na/100 g), bread (9.1%; 546 mg), cheese (5.1%; 524 mg), and ready-to-eat meals (2.2%; 510 mg). Reduced sale-weighted sodium content was observed in cheese (57%), a neutral trend was observed in processed meat and derivatives (99%) and bread (100%), and an increase in sodium content was found in ready meals (112%). Similar trends were observed for average sodium levels, but the difference was significant only in the case of ready meals. No statistically significant changes were observed for the matched products, although about one-third of the matched products had been reformulated by lowering the sodium level by more than 3.8%. Additional efforts are needed to ensure salt reduction in processed foods in Slovenia. Such efforts should combine closer collaboration with the food industry, additional consumer education, and setting specific sodium content targets (limits) for key food categories.

A comparison of the healthiness of packaged foods and beverages from 12 countries using the Health Star Rating nutrient profiling system, 2013–2018

“…A further limitation is a lack of market share data, which would help to quantify the contribution of the products to overall household food purchases and population diets. Future research in this area would benefit from the addition of sales data to determine how frequently healthier compared to less healthy foods are purchased and their likely contribution to national diets …”

The Science of Salt: A global review on changes in sodium levels in foods

“…All studies (n = 24) were serial cross‐sectional in design and came from nine countries: seven high‐income and two middle‐income countries (Table ). There were nine studies in the United States (US), three each in New Zealand, Australia, and the United Kingdom (UK), two in Canada, and one each in Slovenia, The Netherlands, Brazil, and India . There were three types of salt reduction interventions evaluated: voluntary reductions (including targets), labeling, and interventions in institutional settings such as hospitals or schools.…”

“…For studies of matched food products, sample sizes ranged from 18 to 16 858 (median: 292; IQR: 21‐1615). The sodium content in packaged foods was measured in several ways: 17 studies utilized the food labels (nutrition information panels), seven of these combined food labels with sales data or household purchases data to derive sales‐weighted sodium density, and one used both food labels and chemical analysis . One study sourced information from a nutrient analysis given by companies .…”

“…All studies (n = 24) were serial cross-sectional in design and came from nine countries: seven high-income and two middle-income countries ( Table 1). There were nine studies in the United States (US), [34][35][36][37][38][39][40][41][42] three each in New Zealand, [43][44][45] Australia, [46][47][48] and the United Kingdom (UK), [49][50][51] two in Canada, 52,53 and one each in Slovenia, 54 The Netherlands, 55 Brazil, 56 and India. 57 There were three types of salt…”

“…44 Most studies investigated sodium levels across a range of food categories (ranged from 3 to 106 categories), while two studies focused on just one major food category (breakfast cereals 49 and bread 51 ) and its subcategories, one study included packaged food facings in vending machines, cafeterias, or kiosks, 35 while one did not specify the food categories included in the sodium analyses. 39 In terms of the type of salt reduction intervention, thirteen studies assessed the effects of voluntary reductions (including targets) on packaged foods, 36,37,39,42,46,47,[49][50][51][52][54][55][56] four assessed the effect of labeling, [43][44][45]57 and one study was carried out in institutional settings to reduce the proportion of packaged foods with more than 200 mg of sodium per serving. 35 Changes in sodium levels in restaurant foods were assessed in five studies-three in the United States 34,41,42 and one each from Australia 48 and Canada.…”