Know Your Noodles! Assessing Variations in Sodium Content of Instant Noodles across Countries

Abstract

Reducing salt intake is a cost-effective public health intervention to reduce the global burden of non-communicable disease (NCDs). Ultra-processed foods contribute ~80% of dietary salt in high income countries, and are becoming prominent in low-middle income countries. Instant noodle consumption is particularly high in the Asia Pacific region. The aim of this study was to compare the sodium content of instant noodles sold worldwide to identify potential for reformulation. Analysis was undertaken for 765 instant noodle products from 10 countries using packaged food composition databases of ultra-processed foods compiled by the Global Food Monitoring Group (GFMG) and national shop survey data. Sodium levels were high and variable, within and between countries. Instant noodles in China had the highest mean sodium content (1944 mg/100 g; range: 397–3678/100 g) compared to New Zealand (798 mg/100 g; range: 249–2380 mg/100 g). Average pack size ranged from 57 g (Costa Rica) to 98 g (China). The average packet contributed 35% to 95% of the World Health Organization recommended daily salt intake of <5 g. Forty-one percent of products met the Pacific Island (PICs) regional sodium targets, 37% met the South Africa 2016 targets, and 62% met the UK 2017 targets. This study emphasises a need for stronger regulation and closer monitoring to drive rigorous reformulation of salt in ultra-processed foods.

Salt content of sauces in the UK and China: cross-sectional surveys

“…The present study not only addressed this bias but also went a step further by also ensuring comparability within the categories, for example, by performing analyses with and without reduced-salt products, and by excluding powder products in predominantly liquid categories (eg, in chilli sauces) and vice-versa (eg, in stocks). Additionally, our findings also align with those of Farrand et al , who observed that a higher proportion of products met salt targets in countries where targets were set in comparison to countries without targets 13…”

“…The results of our between-country analyses are also concordant with those of previous studies, where products sold in China usually contained more salt than those found on the UK market 13 14. In Huang et al ’s food group-level comparison, 77% of the products they included in the food group ‘Sauces and spreads’ were cooking sauces, gravies and stocks in China (categories known to have higher salt content than other sauces), compared with 55% in the UK 14.…”

“…So far, two studies have shown that Chinese food products contained more salt than their counterparts in the UK. One focused on instant noodles and found that out of 10 countries, those from China contained most salt 13. The other compared 11 food groups and found that eight of them contained more salt in China than in the UK: one of the largest gaps was in the ‘sauces and spreads’ food group, where Chinese products had 4.4 times the amount of salt of UK ones.…”

Salt content of instant noodles in Malaysia: a cross-sectional study

“…Furthermore, an observational study by Farrand et al . in 10 Asian countries such as China, Indonesia and India, also demonstrated that the mean salt content per 100 g of instant noodles was high at 4.86, 4.79 and 2.28 g, respectively 25. In this same study, Farrand et al .…”

“…In this same study, Farrand et al . also reported that two-thirds of the Asian countries in the study had <55% instant noodle products that meet the Pacific Salt Reduction Target (4 g/100 g of salt) 25 26…”