Soup survey

Thursday 16 December 2004

The Food Standards Agency has carried out a survey to look at the levels of a limited range of nutrients, including sodium (to reflect salt content), fat and sugar, in a variety of canned, dried and fresh soup products.

During autumn 2004, 77 samples of soup products were bought and the nutrient content, as declared on product labels, recorded. A total 69% of products in the survey provided a quarter or more of an adult�s maximum recommended daily salt intake of 6g per day. Six per cent (n=4) of soups surveyed provided 40% or more of the 6g recommended maximum daily intake of salt per serving.

The average salt content of a portion of fresh soup was 1.6g, contributing 27% of the recommended maximum daily salt intake for an adult. For both canned and dried soups the average salt content was 1.7g, contributing 28% of the recommended maximum daily salt intake for an adult. There was a lot of variation in salt content within these categories.

Four soups (6%) contained 0.5g or more sodium per 100g; this is the threshold for �a lot� of sodium in a food.

'Healthy eating' soups on average contained less sugar, fat and salt than equivalent standard and economy products.

The results of this survey show that soups generally remain a low fat and low sugar product. 69 per cent (n=53) of the products surveyed were low in fat, that is, they had less than 3g fat per 100g.

Soups are also a low sugar product, with 52% (37 out of 71 products – six didn't label sugar content) containing less than 2g of sugar per 100g. 2g is the threshold for 'a little' sugar in a food.

Only one company did not declare sodium content on product labels. In order to allow consumers to make an informed choice, the Agency recommends that full nutrition information be provided on all pre-packaged foods and encourages the declaration of salt content as part of the nutrition label.

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