Artisan and natural breads were shown to contain the highest salt levels of bread analysed recently by the campaign group Consensus Action on Salt & Health (CASH).
CASH surveyed the salt content of 294 fresh and packaged loaves from supermarkets and their in-store bakeries as well as chain and independent high street bakeries. Its research highlighted large variations in the salt content of bread. For example, Cranks Seeded Farmhouse at 2.03g/100g, contained nearly four times more salt than the lowest, a Marks & Spencer’s Simply More Eat Well Healthiest White Bread (0.58g/100g).
Premium, bakery breads were found to contain generally higher levels of salt than packaged loaves. A Pain Complet from upmarket chain Paul contained 1.76g/100g while a Pain de Campagne from Le Pain Quotidien Blanc came in at 1.41g.
But the Real Bread Campaign says the survey could be misleading. Since the story broke 50 of its members have reported that they bake over 100 lines of Real Bread with one per cent salt or less by loaf weight.
It adds that since its launch in November 2008, the Real Bread Campaign has encouraged all bakers to keep salt levels in their loaves down to the Food Standards Agency’s target of one per cent, or below.
