Sodium content in prepackaged food products marketed in El Salvador

Abstract

Introduction. Current diet in general population is characterized by substitution of natural food by processed food, usually formulated with sodium additives.
Objective. Classify sodium content in pre-packaged food products commercialized in El Salvador, according to The Pan American Health Organization nutrients profile and regional goals for industrial formulation. Methodology. Transversal descriptive design, nutritional labels of 1,016 registred products and 7 food categories in the Environmental Health Information System were analyzed. Formulas were applied to classify high sodium content >1 mg of sodium per calorie according to PAHO's nutrient profile, and  sodium content in 100 grams of product were classify as high when they exceed regional goals in each category. Products percentages were calculated according to country of origin and sodium content either using PAHO's nutrient profile or regional goals.
Results.  According to PAHO's nutrient profile, 52% of products were classify as high in sodium content, 24% were formulated above regional goal. Differences in sodium content between food categories were observed. Almost three quarters (73%) of all products analyzed were imported, mostly from the United States and Mexico.
Conclusion. More than half of the pre-packaged food products marketed in El Salvador were classify as high in sodium according to PAHO's nutrient profile and less than a quarter were formulated with sodium content above industrial formulation regional goals.