FSA to name and shame

Government watchdogs are preparing to name and shame food products that are high in salt, sugar and saturated fat.

As concern grows over the ingredients used in ready-made meals and snacks, the Food Standards Agency is set to take action against named brands. It will look at popular products, especially foods aimed at children, and criticise those that it considers too unhealthy. The move comes despite a landmark pledge today by the food industry to cut the level of salt in key products by 10 per cent.

Although manufacturers have promised to reduce salt in soups and sauces by the end of this year, officials believe they are not going far enough. A spokesman for the FSA said: "It is great that salt in soups and sauces will be reduced by 10 per cent but obviously we want salt levels in many processed foods to be reduced.

"We will make it crystal clear that there is a massive public health problem caused by eating too much salt and action has to be taken.

"We are looking at naming and shaming products that are high in salt, sugar and saturated fat. I do not think we want to go down the regulation path on this but we can get the message out there to consumers in other ways."

Research shows that eating too much salt - more than six grams a day - can lead to an increased risk of heart disease and high blood pressure. At present, the average Briton eats more than nine grams a day.

Over recent years, health professionals have become increasingly worried about the level of salt we consume. Some believe that thousands of lives could be saved in Britain if people simply cut back on their salt intake. But as timepoor shoppers rely more and more heavily on ready-made meals, many are unaware of the amount of salt they are eating.

Yesterday the Food and Drinks Federation, which represents food manufacturers, would not commit to reducing salt levels in any other foods apart from soup and sauces.

A spokesman said: "We are happy to continue to talk about what could be done with the FSA. But it is not as simple as that and we think that getting to where we are today is good.

"There is little point in removing salt from products if consumers will simply buy another product. And, anyway, some products need to be salty. A consumer can eat something salty one day but just make sure they eat something less salty the next."

The explosion of diet-related health problems has already led the World Health Organisation to call for food companies to make their products healthier.