Food labels should be taken with a pinch of salt

Measuring your salt intake by peering at the fine print on food labels could be a waste of time.

Random scientific testing of common New Zealand-made processed foods on super-market shelves found 12 of 168 samples exceeded the amount of sodium stated on the label by more than 50 per cent.

Worst offenders were processed meats such as bacon, and piccalilli or chowchow, with three of eight samples having a salt content 50 per cent more than that stated or higher. Other foods that exceeded label claims were processed chicken, prepared dinners, beef patties, luncheon, salami, bacon, mayonnaise, smoked meat or fish, and pastrami.

Salt has been linked to high blood pressure, which can cause cardiovascular disease, and has been blamed for serious health problems such as heart attack and stroke.

Random testing for label compliance is not normally done here, but the Environmental and Science Research study was commissioned by the New Zealand Food Safety Authority to find out how much salt New Zealanders get from processed foods.

It is part of a transtasman project to combat iodine deficiency, a leading cause of preventable brain damage in children and goitre.

Iodised salt is increasingly falling out of favour because of falling salt consumption and the popularity of rock and sea salts.

Transtasman food regulator Food Standards Australia New Zealand plans to require iodised salt to be used in baked cereal products.

Responding to the test results, Green Party spokeswoman Sue Kedgley said: "Look, if it was 2 per cent over, who would care? But 50 per cent over? How can it be so wrong?"