Reducing dietary salt intake lowers blood pressure for most people. In Australia, for example, it is estimated that reducing salt consumption to the level recommended by the National Heart Foundation (no more than 6g per day) would prevent about a fifth of all strokes and heart attacks each year.
George Weston Foods is one of Australia’s largest bakers. It has been reducing salt levels in bread since December 1997, when it became one of the first companies to work with the National Heart Foundation to establish the initial sodium criterion of 450mg/100g for the bread category, as part of the Foundation’s heart tick programme.
However, the business has now achieved a further reduction to 400mg/100g across its entire mainstream bread brand portfolio – joining the Bürgen® range of breads, which met this benchmark in 2004. As part of this new reduction initiative, over 346 tonnes of salt will be removed annually from the Australian food supply. This represents a significant contribution to the nation’s health.
George Weston Foods was recognised in April this year for its 20 year partnership with the National Heart Foundation with an award at a ceremony to celebrate the 21st birthday of the heart tick programme.