WHO Member States have agreed to reduce the global population’s intake of salt by a relative 30% by 2025 fueling growth of the salt substitutes market

 

Rapid urbanization and sedentary lifestyle have increased the intake of salt among consumers and this has raised the prevalence of obesity and ultimately progression of other diseases. For instance, consumption of food that is high in salt content caused high blood pressure. Thus the high prevalence of lifestyle-related disorders is propelling the growth of the salt substitutes market. According to the World Health Organization, in 2019, an estimated 38.2 million children under the age of 5 years were overweight or obese. Once considered a high-income country problem, overweight and obesity are now on the rise in low- and middle-income countries, particularly in urban settings.

Major Developments:

In November 2019, The U.K. supermarket chain Tesco has started stocking ground seaweed products for consumers wanting to reduce their sodium intake and add umami flavors to their food. It is a natural salt replacement that is being sold under the Mara Seaweed brand and is sourced from Scotland.
In January 2018, Commodity trader Cargill Inc. has started to produce a salt-alternative for food manufacturers wanting to cut back the sodium levels in their soups, bread, and other processed goods.
The Asia Pacific is expected to dominate the global salt substitutes market in the near future and this is attributed to the increasing adoption of a healthy lifestyle among consumers across countries such as China, South Korea, and India. Rising awareness regarding the benefits of cutting down salt intake in the diet is again augmenting the regional market growth.

Moreover, WHO Member States have agreed to reduce the global population’s intake of salt by a relative 30% by 2025. An estimated 2.5 million deaths could be prevented each year if global salt consumption were reduced to the recommended level. For instance, world Health Organization recommends that adults consume less than 5 g (just under a teaspoon) of salt per day.

Salt substitutes are basically low-salt, artificial sweeteners sold in place of regular table salt to circumvent the potential danger of heart disease and high blood pressure brought about by high consumption of regular table salt. These substances are made by extracting sodium from common salt - either kosher or regular - and making it into a concentrated salt solution, which can then be used for cooking or baking. Most commercially produced salt substitutes contain no more than 2 percent sodium, which is well below the current maximum daily intake recommended for adults of all ages. They are also generally recognized as healthier alternatives to regular table salt because they do not contain any animal fat, which tends to raise blood pressure levels and is unhealthy on its own.