Soupmakers ladle out "half a day's salt"

A 200g serving of Batchelor's Cup a Soup minestrone with croutons contains half the recommended adult daily intake of 6g salt, according to a new soups survey by the Food Standards Agency (FSA). But it also found salt levels varied widely with no relation between the type of soup or soup flavour and salt level. No brand was consistently high or low in salt, said the FSA.

It surveyed 77 canned, fresh/chilled, and dried soups, including top-selling brands and a range of own-label in each category. A standard portion size of 200g was used.

In the canned/ambient category, Somerfield cream of tomato was highest in salt with 2.5g per serving. Asda cream of mushroom was lowest with 1g.

Tesco fresh minestrone topped the table in the fresh/chilled sector with 2g per serving, while New Covent Garden Company fresh chicken soup had the lowest salt content at 1g per serving.

Batchelor's minestrone had the highest level of any dried soup with 2.9g salt, and Asda Good For You farmhouse vegetable the lowest at 1.2g.

Food and Drink Federation deputy director general Martin Paterson said: "We have been reducing sodium in soups and sauces since last year [2003] with a commitment to a further 10% this year [2004].

"However, we can only move at the pace dictated by consumers."