Pubcos pledge to cut salt in food
Major managed pub operators have vowed to reduce salt content in dishes after a survey found up to 15 crisp packets worth of salt in some pie meals.
JD Wetherspoon, Punch Taverns and Greene King made the commitment after a survey from campaign group Consensus Action on Salt and Health (CASH), which examined the salt content in pie meals at major operators for National Salt Awareness Week (21-27 March).
The highest content was found in Wetherspoon's chicken & mushroom pie with chips or mash, gravy and peas, which contained 7.5g of salt, the same as 15 packets of crisps or 125% of the recommended daily maximum of 6g.
Second place was Wetherspoon's British beef and Abbot Ale pie meal (6.7g), followed by the lamb and mint pie meal, and steak and ale pie meal from Punch Taverns' managed pubs, which contained 6.5g and 6.3g of salt respectively.
In fifth place was the beef & ale pie meal served at Greene King's Hungry Horse brand, with 6.18g.
JD Wetherspoon spokesman Eddie Gershon said: "We are working closely with suppliers, food development chefs and the Food Standards Agency to reduce the levels of salt in some meals.
"We will aim to reduce the level of salt in the two particular meals they pointed out in the coming months."
A Punch spokeswoman said: "We have made good progress in reducing the salt content of our dishes to comply with the 2010 guidelines and are now working towards compliance with the 2012 guidelines."
A spokeswoman for Hungry Horse said: "We are actively working to reduce the salt content across our menus and are committed to hitting the Government's 2012 salt reduction targets.
"Many dishes already meet the targets ahead of the deadline."
The lowest salt content, with 3.9g per portion, was found to be Young's award-winning steak & ale pie with mash and vegetables.
CASH campaign director Katharine Jenner said: "Although few would think of pie and mash as a healthy meal, many do not realise they could be exceeding their daily maximum of 6g of salt in just one meal."
