Takeaway turns in massive salt level

West Yorkshire Trading Standards and the West Yorkshire Public Analyst have carried a county wide survey of the nutritional quality of takeaway meals. They found that five years on from a previous survey the levels of salt in the meals have changed little.

Fifty eight takeaways across West Yorkshire were visited and 160 meals were sampled such as special chow mein, donner kebab, chicken tikka masala and pizza and tested for their salt content.

Nearly half contained more than six grams of salt, which is the maximum recommended daily intake for an adult. The average Chinese takeaway was found to contain seven grams of salt. One sample of special chow mein contained a massive 20.1 grams of salt – over three and a half teaspoons full.

The highest found on previous surveys was 12 grams for a donner kebab and 13 grams for a special chow mein.

Excess salt in the diet is blamed for increased blood pressure and risk of stroke.

The Food Standards Agency has worked with large food manufacturers and retailers to achieve a slight cut in the average salt intake of the UK population. It is hoped the West Yorkshire survey will get the same message across to independent food businesses that have not yet responded.

All the takeaways found to be exceeding the recommended targets will be offered advice to reduce the salt levels.

Some shops say they get complaints if the food is not salty enough and others offering to provide low salt options.

Graham Hebblethwaite, chief officer of West Yorkshire Joint Services, which oversees the work of Trading Standards, said: “It doesn’t cost anything to reduce salt levels and if it is done gradually consumers will not notice the difference in taste.”