UK pressure group Action on Salt has criticised meat-free suppliers for what it says is an “excessive” amount of salt in meat-alternative products.
Action on Salt has demanded urgent action from UK government agency Public Health England.
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The campaigners – a group concerned with salt and its effects on health, which is supported by 24 expert scientific members – said it has “exposed” the perceived “health halo” of processed meat alternatives, including meat-free burgers, sausages and mince, which are “concealing” high levels of salt.
It said 28% of products surveyed are higher in salt than maximum salt targets and that meat-free burgers contain on average more salt than real meat burgers.
Action on Salt said Tofurky’s Deli Slices Hickory Smoked and Tesco’s Meat Free 8 Bacon Style Rashers contain “much more salt” per 100g than sea water.
It found 20% of the products it analysed have no front-of-pack colour-coded labelling, including Linda McCartney’s product range. The Linda McCartney brand is owned by US manufacturer Hain Celestial.
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By GlobalDataAction on Salt said of the 157 supermarket meat alternative products surveyed, the highest average salt content per 100g was found in meat-free bacon (2.03g/100g) and meat-free sliced meat (1.56g/100g). Per portion, on average, vegetarian kievs were the saltiest (1.03g), followed by meat-free sausages (0.96g).
The organisation last surveyed vegetarian alternatives in 2008. It said the average salt content per 100g has decreased in meat-free sausages and meat-free burgers, the average salt content per portion of meat-free burgers has increased from 0.80g to 0.89g.
It said Quorn Foods’ 4 Best of British Sausages with 1.9g/100g still remain the saltiest vegetarian sausages available – providing more than 2g salt (2.2g) per two sausages.
The pressure group said it is “very easy” to make products with less salt, highlighting Tesco’s meat-free mince with 0.2g of salt per 100g and comparing that to Naturli’s plant-based mince which contains six times as much salt (1.2g per 100g).
Mhairi Brown, nutritionist at Action on Salt, said: “Research has highlighted that we must reduce the amount of meat we eat to reduce the negative impact of climate change. The food industry have ensured greater availability of meat-free alternatives, but now they must do more to ensure that meat-free alternatives contain far less salt – at the very least lower than their meat equivalents.
“This survey drives home the urgent need for Public Health England to reinvigorate the UK’s salt reduction strategy.”
just-food has asked the companies mentioned in the report for a response.
