Call to turn tables as restaurant’s pizzas found to be saltier than seawater

The research shows takeaway pizza contains up to two and a half times more salt than the average supermarket pizza but a pepperoni pizza from the Adam & Eve restaurant in Mill Hill, London contained a staggering 10.57 grams of salt.

The 2.73 grams of salt per 100 grams means the food is saltier than Atlantic seawater, which is 2.5 grams of salt per 100 grams.

The restaurant said it has already changed its recipe to make its pizza less salty as a result of the study.

The survey analysed 199 margherita and pepperoni pizzas, from takeaways, pizza chains and supermarkets across the country. Half of all takeaway pizzas surveyed contained the entire maximum daily recommendation of salt which is six grams.

Manufactured trans fat, which presents a serious health risk and can cause heart attacks and strokes, was found in 84 per cent of the takeaway pizzas.

The target for salt content in pizza set by the Department of Health to be achieved by the end of 2012 is a maximum of 1.25 grams of salt per 100 grams. Only 16 per cent of the takeaway pizzas tested met this target compared to three quarters of the supermarket pizzas.

A Pizza Express margherita pizza from a supermarket contained almost half the amount of salt than the restaurant equivalent.

However, despite containing a third less salt on average compared to takeaway pizzas, many supermarket pizzas were still classified as unhealthy. None of the surveyed supermarket pizzas were found to be low in salt, fat or saturated fat.

The survey by Consensus Action on Salt and Health (CASH) and the Association of London Environmental Health Managers has been released as part of Salt Awareness Week.

A Department of Health spokesman said: “Salt reduction is one of our key priorities as part of the Public Health Responsibility Deal.

“Many Responsibility Deal partners have made, and are continuing to make, considerable reductions in the levels of salt in their products.”