According to a review report released on March 13 by Brazil's National Health Surveillance Agency (Anvisa), nearly 3 in 10 (28%) processed foods sold in the country contain excessive sodium.

The report aims to monitor whether processed foods in Brazil are complying with the targets set in the National Plan on reducing the sodium and sugar content of processed foods. To this end, Anvisa reviewed 35 categories of processed products between 2020 and 2021, including sausages, potato chips and corn chips.

According to the report, products that did not meet the sodium standards included prepared seasonings for cooking rice and meat, savoury biscuits, pre-made cakes without fillings, hamburgers, refrigerated mortadela, pre-sliced toast, mozzarella and cheese. One of the biggest concerns is bolognese, where almost no products made the grade during the two years Anvisa sampled them.

In addition, while about 72 percent of processed products comply with the standards set in the national program, this does not mean that they are low in sodium. about 60 per cent of products still exceed the maximum values set by the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO).

Anvisa also mentioned that Brazil has the lowest compliance with national sodium standards for processed products compared to other countries in Latin America and the Caribbean.

In fact, high sodium intake can raise blood pressure and accelerate the aging of blood vessels, which can lead to cardiovascular disease and stroke. Studies indicate that about 40 percent of adults with high blood pressure are unable to control their blood pressure. In response, countries such as Argentina and Uruguay have even started banning salt shakers on tables in restaurants.

In Brazil, Anvisa has also been working to reduce the consumption of ultra-processed foods that are high in oil, sugar and sodium. In accordance with Resolution 429 of 2020, starting from 2023, food packaging in Brazil will start to add a warning label of high sugar, saturated fat or sodium content, and list the nutrient content per 100 milliliters (or 100 grams) of the product, so that consumers can easily compare.