What is the sodium and trans-fat content in popular street and takeaway food in Bosnia and Herzegovina?

Abstract

Street food is part of the Eastern European gastronomy, but there is a knowledge gap on food availability and nutritional composition. The aim was to investigate the street and takeaway food availability and nutritional composition in Sarajevo and Banja Luka, Bosnia and Herzegovina. Street food and takeaway food vending sites were included. Information on vending sites’ characteristics and food availability, and samples of the most commonly available foods were collected (Sarajevo: 80 homemade; 39 industrial, Banja Luka: 80 homemade; 40 industrial), for chemical analysis (total fat, lipid profile, sodium and potassium). Among the vending sites selling food other than fruit (98.3 %), 40.9 % were selling only industrial foods (snacks, biscuits and sweet pastries, ice-cream, chocolate), while 52.7 % were selling only homemade foods (savoury pastries, main dishes, cakes, biscuits and sweet pastries, sandwiches, bread, snacks) and 6.3 %, both. Homemade foods presented higher total fat (16.6 vs. 10.1 g/serving, p < 0.001), sodium (603 vs. 187 mg/serving, p < 0.001) and potassium content (168 vs. 110 mg/serving, p < 0.001), compared to industrial foods. Homemade cake presented the highest mean trans-fat content (2.32 g/serving), whereas homemade beefburger presented the highest mean sodium content (3838 mg/serving). In sum, in urban Bosnia and Herzegovina, commonly available street and takeaway foods, particularly homemade, were high in total fat, saturated, trans-fat and sodium. These findings call for the design of healthier urban food environments.