Vegetarian meat substitutes found to be ‘exceeding salt limits’

Vegetarian meat substitutes have been found to be “exceeding salt limits” according to campaign group Action on Salt.

The group said more than a quarter of meat-free burgers, mince and sausages were found to exceed maximum recommended salt levels. The worst offenders in Action for Salt’s tests were found to be were saltier than Atlantic seawater.

Public Health England (PHE) told Action for Salt it had advised companies on the importance of meeting voluntary targets. Action on Salt responded that PHE needed to take “urgent action” in order to lower salt levels in products.

Action on Salt nutritionist, Mhairi Brown, said: “The food industry has 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.”