Food companies face considerable challenges in reformulating with reduced salt, in terms of technical issues where salt plays a functional role as a preservative or to control the fermentation of yeast, and also in retaining a flavour that is acceptable to consumers. Nevertheless, salt reduction in processed foods has been a major target for manufacturers, particularly since the Food Standards Agency (FSA) set targets across various food categories for 2010.

However, Unilever has said that it is not basing reductions on what can be achieved in individual products, but has chosen to take a ‘holistic’ approach instead, looking at the issue in terms of daily dietary contribution. By 2010, it hopes to achieve a daily intake of 6g of salt per person – as recommended by the FSA as well as many other national food authorities – and is targeting the WHO recommendation of a 5g maximum by 2015.