The food industry has been praised for "strong progress" in reducing the level of salt in the diet of consumers in Ireland.
Reductions have been recorded across most food types with particular progress being made in breakfast cereals where the salt content has been reduced by 40 per cent in the last decade.
In 2005, the Food Safety Authority of Ireland (FSAI) set a target to reduce daily salt intake from 10 grams to six grams by 2010, the equivalent of one teaspoon. It followed the publication of an alarming report which showed that the average adult in Ireland consumed twice the recommended levels of salt.
Excessive levels of salt are a factor in cardiovascular disease, the biggest killer in Ireland, and hypertension which affects more than half of those over the age of 50.
The FSAI stated that the manufacturers of processed meats like sausages and burgers met their targets as did bread makers, who have pledged to reduce salt in all breads by 2008.
Manufacturers of soups and sauces have reduced salt in dried sauce by 15 per cent and in dried soup by 10 per cent since 2005.
The FSAI noted that Irish retail multiples continue to remove salt from their own-label products and major restaurant chains and some large hotel chains have salt reduction programmes.
The FSAI's chief food scientist Dr Wayne Anderson said targets were being met but the momentum had to be maintained.
