Kraft pledges salt reduction

Kraft Foods Inc. said Wednesday that it will cut the salt in its products that are sold in North America by an average of 10 per cent over the next two years to appeal to health-conscious consumers.

The changes at Kraft, the largest U.S. food maker, will affect more than 1,000 products and eliminate more than 10 million pounds of salt over the two-year period, the company said.

Kraft and other food makers have cut their use of sodium in recent years. Among other cuts, the company said this latest move will cut the salt in Oscar Mayer Bologna by 17 per cent, Easy Mac Cups by 20 per cent and Velveeta by 10 per cent.

"We are reducing sodium because it's good for consumers and, if done properly, it's good for business," Rhonda Jordan, president of health and wellness at Kraft Foods, said in a statement. "A growing number of consumers are concerned about their sodium intake, and we want to help them translate their intentions into actions."

Many health leaders have urged food makers to reformulate their products to reduce salt.

Kraft, which is based in Northfield, Ill., offers more than 100 products with no sodium or what it calls low or reduced levels. But a 2.05-ounce, single-serving Easy Mac Cup, for example, has 700 milligrams of sodium about 30 per cent of the recommended average daily intake.

Kraft said it also is reformulating some items for international markets, including cheese products in the U.K. But the bulk of the company's business is in North America.

Among other companies aiming to cut sodium is ConAgra Foods Inc., the maker of Chef Boyardee and Hebrew National. ConAgra announced in October that it would will cut sodium by 20 per cent in the next five years.

Campbell Soup Co. has cut the sodium in more than 100 of its products including V8 juices, Prego sauces, Pepperidge Farm breads and some of its namesake soups by 25 per cent to 50 per cent over the past four years. Campbell announced in December that it would cut the sodium in its SpaghettiOs canned pasta by up to 35 per cent.