Study finds excessive salt levels in popular branded sausages

A new study conducted by the UK’s Consensus Action on Salt and Health (CASH) at Queen Mary University of London has revealed that certain popular branded sausages exceed the recommended daily salt limit.

Chilled, frozen, vegetarian and meat sausages surveyed across the UK were found to exceed the recommended limit for an entire day (6g/day).

The survey also found that the British public eats more than 175,000t of sausages annually, which amounts to 61g of salt per person.

CASH assistant nutritionist Mhairi Brown said: “This survey really exposes how dangerously salty most sausages are, as children could be eating at least 2g of salt from a meal that contains just two sausages.

“Eating too much salt in childhood increases our blood pressure, which then tracks into adulthood and is the main cause of strokes and heart disease.”

Richmond’s complete range of sausages were found to contain the highest amount of salt.

The research found a huge variation in salt levels across all sausages, from the highest in Richmond 12 Skinless Pork Sausages at 2.3g per 100g, to the lowest in the Co-operative’s Irresistible Sweet Chilli Sausages at 0.75g per 100g.

The survey also found large variations within supermarket own-brand sausages, with Asda’s Extra Special 6 Bacon and Maple Syrup Pork Sausages containing 1.1g of salt per sausage, which is more than double the retailer’s Extra Special 6 Lincolnshire Pork Sausages that contains 0.45g per sausage.

According to CASH, 85% of meat sausages surveyed contained a high amount of saturates.

CASH is now calling on Public Health England to set new mandatory targets for 2020.

CASH nutritionist and campaign manager Sonia Pombo said: “So far, we have seen very little evidence that the latest set of voluntary salt targets have been achieved, despite the impending deadline this month.

“Therefore strict monitoring and tougher regulation from the government must be implemented.

“Based on the latest recommendations from SACN, supporting the use of potassium-based salt replacers as a potential way to help reduce sodium in food, the government should now encourage companies to explore the use of potassium  in sausages and help reduce the nation’s blood pressure.”