Abstract
Background: This study aims to demonstrate the practical application of an innovative easy-to-use equipment to dosage cooking salt, and evaluate the effectiveness in reducing 30% of the added salt in meals and the impact on consumer’s satisfaction and food waste. Methods: Two canteens from one public university where randomized in one control arm and one intervention arm. The first step was to evaluate the salt added to food through atomic emission spectrophotometry in both canteens, and the second step was to perform gradual reductions of up to 30% of cooking salt in the intervention canteen using the Salt Control-C (SC-C) equipment. Consumer acceptability was assessed through satisfaction questionnaires and food waste was evaluated by weighing. Results: The intervention canteen achieved to a reduction of more than 30% of added salt in soup (−34.3% per 100 g), fish dish (−41.1% per 100 g) and meat dish (−48.0% per 100 g), except for the vegetarian dish (6.1% per 100 g). There was no decrease in consumer satisfaction, with a significant satisfaction increase of 15.7% (p = 0.044) regarding the flavor of the main dish. Also, no significant differences were found in food waste. Conclusions: SC-C seems to be effective in reducing 30% of added salt levels in canteen meals, and may be a good strategy to control and reach adequate levels of added salt in meals served outside-the-home, promoting benefits to the individual’s health.
Highlights
The differences obtained were not statistically significant, it was found that there was a reduction in the levels of added salt in the soup (−34.4% per 100 g, and −48.6% per serving), in the meat dish
In terms of food waste, there was an increase in the waste of soup and main dishes in both canteens (49.0% of total food in the control canteen, and 62.4% of total food in the intervention canteen), the differences found between the baseline period and the last two intervention weeks were not significant
In the intervention canteen there was an increase in the percentage of satisfaction of almost all the parameters evaluated, and for the satisfaction with the flavor of the main dish there was a significant increase of 15.7% (p = 0.044)
Summary
Contributed to the loss of disability-adjusted life-years and mortality due to CVD, with high intake of sodium-rich foods among the top five dietary risk factors [11]. In the national strategy for reducing the salt consumption in portuguese population [18] the reduction of availability of foods with a high salt content and the monitoring of the supply (food and meals for sale) were considered imperative measures for public health. This study aims to demonstrate the practical application of an innovative easy-to-use equipment to dosage cooking salt, and evaluate the effectiveness in reducing 30% of the added salt in meals and the impact on consumer’s satisfaction and food waste. Conclusions: SC-C seems to be effective in reducing 30% of added salt levels in canteen meals, and may be a good strategy to control and reach adequate levels of added salt in meals served outside-the-home, promoting benefits to the individual’s health
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