7 More Companies Join NSRI, Pledge More Sodium Reductions

NEW YORKSeven more companies have committed to join the National Salt Reduction Initiative (NSRI) and pledged to reduce salt in packaged and restaurant foods by 25 percent by 2014.

The new companies include Bertuccis Italian Restaurant, Black Bear European Style Deli, Campbell Soup Company, Dietz & Watson, Kens Foods, Snyders-Lance Inc. and Target Corp.

The initiative has developed specific targets to guide company salt reductions across 62 categories of packaged food and 25 categories of restaurant food. New company commitments cover a range of products including hot dogs, cream cheese, salad dressing, soup and crackers. These products can be high in salt, but these major national food companies are leading the way in reducing the salt in many popular items.

The new companies join Au Bon Pain, Boars Head, Butterball, Delhaize America, FreshDirect, Furmanos, Goya, Hain Celestial, Heinz, Hostess Brands, Kraft, LiDestri, Mars Food, McCain Foods, Premio, Red Gold, Starbucks, Subway, Unilever, Uno Chicago Grill and White Rose, all of which are already committed to NSRI targets.

Unlike past salt reduction efforts in the United States, the NSRI includes mechanisms to monitor sodium in the food supply and to track companies progress toward specific targets. In addition, the initiative will use urine analysis to monitor changes in peoples actual salt intake. The NSRI is modeled on a program in the United Kingdom, where food makers have reduced salt levels by 40 percent or more in some products.